At Opposite Ends
by Kintora
Summary: Sora is the perfect assassin who has no early memories. But soon, answers about his past come in the form of his failed assignment, Kairi. Sora's never kept anyone alive before... So what will happen now? Sokai, Namixas, AU.
1. The Mysterious Youth

………

………

………

**When Love Blooms at Opposite Ends**

………

………

………

Chapter 1

………

Author: Kintora

………

Summary: For all her life, Kairi's been a "living specimen" as one of the 7 Princesses of Heart. One fateful night, a certain boy assassin, who works for a secret organization, kidnaps Kairi. Will she ever escape from the Shadow Hearts? Sora/Kairi.

Pairings: Obviously it's a Sora/Kairi with a side of Roxas/Namine, Cloud/Aerith, and Leon/Yuffie.

………

A/N: Okay, I'm back with another Sokairi in hand for you guys to read! I don't remember how I got this plot, but I guess it just sorta popped into my head one day and I think I liked it too. Anyway, a little bit of OOC in the beginning, but later on, they're probably going to become a little more like themselves. Plus I twitched a few theories from the game, so it's gonna be a bit different. Enjoy please!

………

Her violet-blue eyes roamed the large room around her. She was sitting on a cushy couch and behind her, a glittering fire burned in its fireplace. The room was furnished rather nicely, actually. The walls were painted a homey looking burgundy with a few oil paintings here and there. Real candles burned with a light incense that filled in her sense of smell. The carpet was a lush red color and it seemed that her feet had sunk into the carpet itself.

After she finished her survey of the room, Kairi sat there staring blankly onto the low glass table, it's magazine contents set up nice and neatly, untouched. She was absolutely bored. The scientists had finally decided to turn her in for the night after examinations and questioning, so here she was, sitting in a lavish room until they got her own room ready for bed.

Her room wasn't anything special at all. It was just a blank white room with a bed, a dresser and closet. The stupid 'asylum' as she called it, always had to check if she hid anything to use if she wanted to make an escape. As if she could. The place was too heavily guarded.

Why was there so much security? Not only because she "supposedly" had hidden powers stored inside her, but other skilled people out there thought of her as a nuisance. The Princesses of Heart were keys to unlocking this ultimate world as the scientists had said once to her. An ultimate world of which could destroy their world. People were afraid of her and so, that sort of fear leads to her being targeted.

Everyone was after her skin. But she always wondered about the other Princesses. Where were they? In different worlds perhaps? Were they like her; trapped by other humans? Kairi had no idea, but somehow, the experimentalists tracked her down and took her in as a complex piece to the puzzle they were trying to figure out. They were always asking her questions that she couldn't answer, like, "Where did you really come from?" and things like that.

Like hell she would know. Kairi could only remember that she just simply WAS where she was, with no family whatsoever. How the scientists figured she was a princess was a complete mystery to her, but Kairi had never given much thought to it. She just knew she was a Princess of Heart from the beginning.

Why was she thinking this way?

She sighed. She hated what she was, and all she wanted was a simple joyful life. Nothing to do with all this stuff but to be free…

"You okay, Kairi?"

Kairi looked up to meet the eyes of her personal bodyguard, "Yeah. I'm fine, Riku."

"If you say so," the silver-haired teen said. He was eighteen, a year older than she was, but he sure had the heart of a brother to her. He protected her from threatening people, whether it was the others he worked with or the people that hated her in the outside world. Riku may look a little cold and distant, but she loved him like a sibling and friend. She was sure he felt the same.

"Something wrong with my face?" he smirked.

Kairi pouted, "No. I was just thinking about how ugly you were."

"Whatever you say."

There was a cough from a person stationed against the wall. Kairi's attention drifted from Riku to the whole line of armed guards standing around the room. She had almost forgotten about those guys…

………

Black sneakers padded against the ground of a dark street. The figure walked stealthily graceful past the dreary buildings. Black finger-less gloves adorned the stranger's hands and they swung lightly as he walked. He wore a black short-sleeved jacket, it's hood draped over his head. Beneath the outer layer, the teenager wore a dark navy shirt. Baggy black pants clad over his lean legs to just blow his knees, the material creasing slightly with each swift stride.

The figure stopped at the end of the road that led him to a barred gate. A guard on the other side looked at him questionably before telling the teen off. A slight grin grazed his shadowed expression as he pulled down the hood.

Two blue eyes peered through brown spiky bangs as he reached to the side with an empty hand. As speckles of silver and gold light manifested and danced about in the night air around him, the stranger drew something out of thin air. Deftly, he twisted the blade with expert accuracy, revealing a strange looking weapon, that was nonetheless deadly. A white, winged hilt was clasped in his right hand, connected to a wicked looking blade.

"Boy, I told you to leave. This isn't a place for kids like you to be roaming around at this hour."

The young man only smirked, "Out of my way. Or else I will make you."

The guard glanced at the weapon before reaching into his pocket and drawing out a walkie-talkie, "Come any closer and I'll be forced to call for reinforcements to remove you from this area, kid."

"If you say so," he took another step.

The gate guard switched on his device and spoke through, "We have an intru--" He didn't get to finish what he was going to say before the blue-eyed teen sliced through the gates AND the guard sending blood, body parts, and debris flying everywhere. The dark liquid smeared over his clothes, hands and face but the killer ignored them. With lightening speed, the boy was darting across the large yard setting off alarms as he passed.

………

Kairi jumped as the loud ringing sounded outside. She should have been used it by now, for almost once every week, there was always someone after her. An ivory hand clenched the fabric of her skirt. Every time this happened, someone ended up dead. And no matter who the person was, she could never stand seeing another person die.

"Kairi, stay close," Riku said.

The russet-haired girl just stayed rooted to her seat. She closed her eyes and forced herself to relax. She let her senses stay focused in her surroundings instead and waited. There were loud footsteps outside and she could just hear the fighting occurring and the life spilling out from people. The more she heard, the sicker she felt.

It seemed the fighting had moved quickly closer and she could almost feel everyone in the room tense into rock mode, as she put it. Now the footsteps had moved into the hall right outside. She heard men yelling out in paining and the sound of liquid splashing over the walls. Her eyelids remained closed. It seemed that death was very near and Riku knew it also as he tensed even more, reaching for his main weapon.

When Riku had made the motion of grabbing his keyblade, all the other guards took the quote and took a firearm position pointing towards the door. After a moment, the screaming and pounding of feet stopped and everyone began relaxing. But no sooner than they did, the double swung open to reveal a blood-splattered teen.

Riku noted how he looked no older than himself, or possibly even a year younger than he was. Was this the killer? He didn't look much of a challenge, and yet, he had made his way through all the line of defense without even a scratch.

Suddenly, a guard holding a gun began to snicker at the boy. The assassin's blue eyes flickered over at the one making fun of him.

"Don't tell me. A kid was responsible for killing all our men outside? What a joke. Go back home, young man."

"Are you afraid to die?" he asked coldly.

That only made the guard and the rest of the men burst into laughter with the exception of the assassin, Riku, and Kairi. Kairi sat as still as a stone, waiting, wondering what the killer would do. She still hadn't opened her eyes in fear of what would come next. And it did.

The first guard that had spoke and was laughing along with the others began to choke up blood and fell to the ground bleeding to death from the gash in his throat. Kairi sensed what was happening and screwed her eyelids to shut tighter as all the guards immediately stopped their laughing.

"B-boy, we'll give you a count of three to-to drop that weapon and do as we s-say or else we'll open f-fire," someone quaked whether in fear or surprise.

Kairi squeezed her clasped hands in her lap tighter and tighter when the assassin stated, "You are afraid of death. All of you." She heard him take a step, then another and another.

It was followed by sounds of feet running towards the assassin. Guns began shooting off the hook and the loud noise rung in Kairi's ears as she clasped her hands over them to block the sound. Her eyes were still closed shut as one by one; the thuds of bodies dropped onto the plush carpet.

Riku stood close to Kairi, but all the while, watching his comrades fall, dying and losing. He took a fighting stance, gripping his red and black keyblade tightly in his hand. He couldn't help but notice that this would be the first time he had to fight another keyblade master.

Soon, everything was dead silent and Kairi could sense the assassin face her and Riku. She removed her hands from her ears and let them drop onto her lap as she trembled. Everyone besides her and Riku were dead. All because of this one man slayer...

And a young killer for that matter, she had heard. Even though he was young, how young was he to go around on a killing rampage? She didn't know, and she didn't want to know. All she wanted was for it all to end.

The dangerous stranger moved closer and closer. Both keyblades clinked as their owners tightened their grips on their weapons.

Riku began to speak, "You're a keyblade master aren't you? Why are you doing this?"

"The answer is no concern of yours."

"I see. It doesn't matter, you're not going to lay a hand on her."

"It's my job to complete this task. Step out of the way or you'll lose your life too."

Riku smirked, "Not if I can help it."

Both fighters charged at each other, weapons raised and ready to deliver a kill. Metal clashed with metal and sparks flew between the friction. They both pulled away and charged again, both equally matched. Riku's blade caught his opponent's and slid down to make an uppercut, but the assassin saw it coming and forced Riku's dark keyblade away quickly. They continued to clash and all the while, Kairi prayed they would stop. Though she couldn't see them, she knew that one of them will lose, and the one who did would die.

The brown-haired teen made a cocky grin as he kept his piercing blue eyes locked with Riku's. Before the older boy knew what was coming, the assassin struck out a foot and knocked Riku's legs from behind. During the unbalancing confusion, the killer took his chance and delivered a quick plunge for Riku's stomach. At the last moment, the silver-haired teen moved away, but the white blade caught his side. His blood poured from his newly inflicted wound as he leapt away holding a hand to the injury.

As the dark liquid continued to gush past, between Riku's gloved fingers, his eyesight began to waver and darken, but he wouldn't let himself pass out. Not when Kairi needed his protection. Forcing his hand away, Riku grasped onto his weapon and raised himself up again.

The other teen shook his head nonchalantly. He swung his keyblade into a fighting position again as Riku came at him and blocked each blow swiftly. Now that his opponent was weakened, the killer took the upper hand and delivered a deadly combo, sending Riku out of fighting commission. Riku gasped and tried to stand, but his body wasn't allowing it.

The assassin turned his attention away from the injured teen and faced Kairi and peered at her closed eyes.

Kairi heard Riku gasp in pain. She snapped her eyes open and as blue met blue, time seemed to freeze right then and there between them.

She was surprised to find herself staring into the eyes of a boy no older than she was. So he was the one who killed everyone. He was the one after her. She shivered at the thought of someone as young as her would be doing this. She peeled her eyes away from the killer's. The bloodied bodyguard caught her attention on the ground with his keyblade sprawled a little way out of his reach.

"Riku!"

If he heard her, he didn't make a notion to tell her so. She looked around the room to find dead people scattered across the room. It was all just a bloody mess and she fought the urge to scream. Once she saw all the blood, it only made it's stale, metallic scent assault her nose more than it did when she had her eyes closed, unaware of the true state the sickening scene held. She turned her head back to Riku and urged him to wake up somehow. She was about to cry when the thought that he would be dead in a matter of seconds crossed her mind.

"He's not going to die. As for you…" His steps came closer and closer to her once more.

Kairi felt her blood run cold as the assassin made his way towards her. She dropped to the ground, and reached over to grip Riku's hand tightly in her own as she did many times when she was little. The killer was drawing nearer and nearer and her mind was going blank. Should she run? Or should she let him kill her?

………

A/N: I hope I can update soon, but that'll depend if I get too much work. I can't imagine my other chapters if they have to be this time-consuming! If you want to talk to me about anything concerning this story, other any other stories I have out or anything, go right ahead and ask me.

………

………

………


	2. Make a Run for it!

………

………

………

Chapter 2

………

Author: Kintora

………

………

………

Kairi stiffened as she felt the brown-haired boy grabbed her other wrist and forced her to her feet. She tried tugging away, but his grip was as hard as iron.

"You have to come with me. I need to bring you to the Shadow Hearts."

"No! I'm _not_ going anywhere!" Kairi protested angrily, still trying to wrench her hand away from his. "LET GO!" she yelled out in frustration, her beginning fingernails to dig into the fabric of his gloves.

"You really fussy, you know?"

"_And why shouldn't I be?!"_

The stranger rolled his cobalt eyes with a look of impatience. He should have known.

Suddenly, Kairi felt her hand slip and she fell onto the ground none too gently on her bosom. "Ow…" She muttered rubbing her hip. She looked up just in time to see Riku awake on the floor; pick up one of the dead guard's nightstick nearby. He chucked it, aiming for behind the shadow assassin's knees.

"Kairi! _Get out of here now!_" he shouted as the brown-haired boy stumble in distraction. She shot up from her spot and made a run for the double doors, pulling them open.

Kairi heard a few curses tumble angrily from the distracted boy. She wanted to bring Riku with her, but when her eyes caught Riku's serious face, she rethought her decision and slammed the doors shut; ramming a nearby decorative candleholder across the handles.

She jerked away as the door rattled on the other side, indicating that her pursuer was trying the kick down the door. Kairi turned and ran down the long dark hallway. Just as she was almost at the end, the doors banged open and she heard running feet after her.

Kairi looked back behind her shoulder as she rounded the corner. Before she lost sight of him, her eyes had caught sight of something being drawn from the other youth's pocket.

Next, Kairi made a hasty turn to her left and pulled open the exit door. Unfortunately, it only had a staircase and in her rush, she ran down the ones leading to the lower floors. She had only descended two flights when the door she had entered through just seconds ago banged open.

More scared than ever, Kairi practically began to soar down the steps. She heard the beating of shoes against the stone stairs just above from her and ran into the nearest door. Kairi found herself on the third floor and could see the dead bodies of guards on the ground as she ran past them.

She picked up her speed and dodged right through white doors and found herself in the lab section. The things that were there were placed just as it had been when the scientists were interrogating and taking tests on her earlier that morning. She was so caught up in running and thinking; she hadn't realized the danger of the footsteps getting nearer.

Kairi's thoughts were cut short as a sharp pain lodged itself between her shoulder blade and her neck. Instantaneously, her hand grabbed the object from behind and pulled it out. It was probably the object she had saw just a while ago. It was a small metal dart. Kairi lifted an eyebrow and tossed the item to the side and turned right past another set of doors.

Her lungs were starting to burn as she continued her never-ending sprint down the hall before her. If the other halls were dark, this one was really, really dreary. She could barely see anything down her path.

Kairi started to slow down as she groped for the wall beside her to part rest, part feel her way around. Her head was spinning and her legs felt so tense, she almost thought they were as thick as a tree trunk. But strangely, she began to get a little light headed and drowsy.

The she remembered the little dart thing. It was probably coated with a drug to slow her down. Sure enough, everything she saw was starting to get all dotty and blurry. Kairi stumbled on as she heard slow pacing footsteps coming closer. She searched with what was left of her vision and found glaring red letters over a metal door that read, "EXIT."

This time, turning the handle quietly, she opened it and shut it behind her. She winced as a click was heard. For a moment in her ears, it sounded as if it was resounding in a hauntingly manner. To her horror, even that little click had caught the attention of her pursuer, she assumed, as the slow pacing of his steps turned quick again.

She gasped in fright and hurried down the cement stairs again. Almost, almost! She chanted in her mind. But after a second or two, she began seeing double and her foot missed a step as she fell forward onto the rock hard ground, letting out a pained cry.

She saw that the door that led outside was just before her, but her limbs felt to heavy to lift and she had to really fight just to stay awake. The sounds of pounding shoes on the stairs were painfully close and by now, the drug was forcing her to relax. The next thing she knew, somebody took her shoulders and made her face them.

Her eyes began to pool up with tears when she realized she had lost. Closing them, she let the smooth liquid run freely down her flushed cheeks. The last thing she saw before sleep took over her was him.

……….

The chestnut-haired teen was baffled. So he caught little miss princess here, but why the heck was she crying? It wasn't like she hit herself too hard. He shook his head, trying to clear the remaining questions. He guessed it was just because this was the first time he was ever sent to kidnap someone. Usually, he was just assigned to kill or do something like disarming an enemy weapon.

Just then, his communicator sounded and he took it out of his pocket. Whoever was calling was his 'manager' that assigned him to do his job.

"Sora, you got the girl?"

"Done, I just have to get out of here."

"What do you mean, "get out of here"? Aren't you already out?"

"I was just about to. Do you know how long it took me to chase her? It was barely half the time to eliminate those guards, than scale this entire building."

"I see. Just get out of there on the double before they decide to get reinforcements. Got that?"

"Yes."

"Good, then I'll expect you to be back in ten minutes, tops."

"Fine."

Sora turned off the device and put it back in his pocket. Ten minutes? No problem. He scooped Kairi up in his arms and kicked open the door. Once outside, his Keyblade emitted a bright glow before enveloping him and Kairi in its light. A second later, both were gone.

……….

……….

……….

A/N: Hope that was enough chasing around to make your heads spin. :D For those of you hard-cored people, maybe the last chapter was better - more fighting and action. Well, it doesn't seem like many people like this. Figures, I think I stink at writing summaries. But, I try.

Cya till next time!

………. 

……….

……….


	3. Those Endless Questions

………

………

………

Chapter 3

………

Author: Kintora

………

………

………

The russet-haired girl groaned inwardly as she awoke to a different surrounding. Well, a little at least. She was in another white room, plain and very clean, but it smelled like a doctor's office. Kairi struggled to sit up from the bed she was sprawled on, but found her wrists and ankles unusable due to the restraints.

"Not only am I a lab rat, but I'm a lab rat in an asylum?" she muttered, full of disgust.

Kairi started tugging at her wrists. She hated it when scientists did that to her. Usually back at where she was before, they only put her on restraints when the experiment or whatever was painful. She shuddered. What were they planning to do to her?

A door to her right opened and a few people came in. There were three men in total: two with long white hair and the last with wild blonde spikes. Kairi was half expecting the assassin to be with them but apparently he wasn't. She watched them with angry reproachful looks as the neared her.

"I see the little princess is awake, right?" The ruby-eyed man asked. His long white hair cascaded over his shoulder as he tilted his head in an annoying way, Kairi noted.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

He laughed at her and answered, "My name is Ansem and the two beside me are Sephiroth and Cloud. Does that satisfy you?"

She scowled at him and didn't say anything. Instead, Ansem continued speaking, "I'm sure you're aware of being a Princess of Heart. I need you to tell me where the other Princesses are. Say, to open the Kingdom Hearts."

Kairi looked away towards the ceiling. So that's what they wanted? To know where the other Princesses were? That question had been one of the most frequently asked questions, asked by the other organization she was confined in. She never did have an answer.

"I don't know."

It was Ansem's turn to frown at her. He stepped further until he was at her side. He grabbed her chin an forced her to look at him, "I know you know where they are. Now tell me!" Ansem shook her.

"I don't know!" Kairi tried to shrug away from him but the restraints kept her from defending herself. "Stop it, I'm telling the truth!"

Cloud looked at Ansem sternly and said, "Sir."

Ansem turned around and glared at him, "What?"

"If you don't mind, that should be enough."

Ansem just glowered at the younger man and released his hold on Kairi. He stormed out the door with his companions in tow. And the door shut once again. Kairi shivered and clenched and unclenched her hands. What was this about Kingdom Hearts? Just what was it really? She had heard people talk about it before, but she never understood what it was and what it did.

She lay where she was thinking and re-thinking what was happening to her currently. Just why couldn't she and the rest of the other Princesses be left alone?

………

The next day, she was brought to another room. It was dark with only a few lights and with papers and things like that on a metal desk. The door that she came in from was locked behind her the instant she arrived. It was a questioning room obviously. The room smelled faintly of a doctor's office and it was a bit musty as well.

Despite the warmth in the room, Kairi felt herself shiver. It was just so uncomfortable. She continued observing the room and spotted a paper clip on the desk. She walked over and picked it up. It may come in useful later on.

The door behind her opened and she turned around quickly to face who ever. She slipped the small trinket casually into her pocket.

The people who entered were scientists dressed in white lab coats. One of them sat down on a chair at the other side of the desk. He moved the desk's contents to a side and put the manila folder he carried with him on the desk. Opening it up, he flipped through the clipped papers until he found what he wanted before looking up.

"Please Miss. Sit," he motioned towards the seat before Kairi.

She cautiously moved to do as he said and sat stiffly, never once looking away. He turned his eyes away when her stare began to unnerve him and he began his questioning. What was her name? How old was she? When was her birthday? And where did she come from? Among other questions, Kairi could answer some and others she couldn't. Especially when he repeated the question Ansem had asked her the night before. Where were the other six Princesses?

"I don't know."

The doctor person sighed and clasped his hands together and looked her straight in the eyes, "Miss Kairi, out all these questions, some of them you could answer and some of them you could not. The answers you couldn't answer are all very critical. More important than the other questions I asked you. Perhaps you are not telling the truth?"

Kairi just continued to stare at him without looking away. After a moment, she replied, "I'm telling you all I know. They are the truth if that's what you're directing at, sir."

The other scientists around them were scribbling notes down as she spoke. They all wore the same frowns for not getting any new information. A woman looked up and walked over to the scientist who was questioning Kairi. She said something to him, too quietly for Kairi to hear. The man considered her words and nodded.

The woman left the room and after a few minutes, she came back with a strange instrument. It had graph papers and buttons, etc in the machine. Kairi froze as the scientists all stopped their work and closed in on her. She stayed as still as a stone as one of them took her right arm. They taped some sort of sensors over her wrist and other specific areas on her arm.

"We're going to test if you are telling the truth. There's no hiding from statistics so I suggest you tell all you can."

They switched on the machine and began re-asking the previous questions and each time Kairi answered all the same. She didn't know exactly what these people's goals were, but she knew one thing. She would be a tool and she knew it.

After the graph paper came out, Kairi saw that they were the stats of her heartbeats. Then she realized it. The instrument's job was to track each time her heart beat. If it sped up, they would know she was lying and if it didn't, she was most likely telling the truth.

The man in front of her nodded, "Very well. I'm sure Mr. Ansem would like to view these. Thank you for your cooperation, Miss Kairi."

The sensors were detached from her arm and she was lead back to her room again. During the walk down the corridor, she pretended to look out at the night sky beyond the windows. Casually, Kairi slipped her paper clip out once more and stabilized it between her middle and index finger of her right hand and out of sight. The instant she was back in "her" room, it was down at all four-restraints again.

They closed the light and left her in the dark. She looked at what little hallway light was flowing from beneath her door before it too was turned off. All the footsteps outside left and nothing was heard. Maybe an hour or so passed, Kairi didn't know, but it was long after she began picking at the lock of her right restraint.

It took a while, but when she heard a crisp click, Kairi smiled for the first time in the past few days. Her hand slid through the loosened opening as she used the same paperclip to undo the last three. In no time, she was free.

Kairi swung her lithe legs carefully over the edge and her bare feet touched the cold floor. She fumbled around for a second before also finding her shoes. Quietly, she put them on and headed for her door. Figures, it was locked all the same. She started picking at the lock until it too became undone. Without a sound, she opened the door and walked out closing it slightly before starting down the hall again.

She arrived to where she wanted to be.

The moonlight streamed past the glass and fell onto her prone figure. She closed her eyes and allowed the light to cast over her, leaving the dark shallow gradations where they were supposed to be. The light felt silky against her skin, as she remained rooted to where she was, right before the large window. For so long, it was a moment that she ever remembered feeling safe in the moon's embrace.

Kairi wanted to get closer to the source of its light. If she could, she'd fly for it. But what was it like beyond the windows and doors, walls and ceilings? She never ever remembered being allowed outside. Never.

She knew what water felt like on her body, but what was it like to have it fall from the heavens and onto you? She felt the wind from an indoor fan, but what was it like to feel a breeze coming from the north or east? What would it feel like to experience the REAL sunlight from outside during the day and how much more softer would it feel like to have REAL moonlight bathing down on you at night in an evening stroll? That's all she ever really wanted! So why couldn't she be like everyone else?!

"I was so close," she murmured sadly, "So close."

"So close to what? And why are you crying?"

……….

A/N: I'll try to update ASAP, okay? So far, I only have a few reviews, so please comment more.

Responses:

_Kairi _- The fluff is going to be later on in the chapters. But don't worry, there WILL be fluff! Though I can't say when……..

_HikariSakura _- Umm…

_Kandydancer15 _- Lol. I'll try, but I'm really busy. I love Sora/Kairi too! (well, obviously…………)

_DragonQueen _- Hehehe, how about- no. Kairi's a very important character……….. As for Mary Sue stuff…?

………

………

………


	4. A True Taste of Divine

………

………

………

Chapter 4

………

Author: Kintora

………

………

………

Kairi froze. That voice… it belonged to that boy assassin… She crouched low and buried her face behind her arms. She didn't want him to see her tears. In fact, she didn't want anything to do with him!

"What do you w-want?"

She heard him sigh, "I just want to know the reason why you're crying."

"It's be-because of… you."

"How?"

Kairi felt her anger spike as she turned her face to look at him.

From what he could see, they were like orbs of burning blue fire. Her tears were so silver, it almost seemed impossibly natural, "It's because of you! You took away my only chance of being normal!"

She saw him give her a befuddled expression. It was obvious he didn't understand. She probably sounded like a mentally insane girl right about now, but Kairi paid no heed to that. Slowly, she got up to stare him down completely with all her rage.

"I was so close! I was so close to feeling what it was like to be outside like a normal person! I was so close to feeling the life out beyond my prison. You obviously don't know what it's like to remain trapped inside forever! Do you know how many times I've tried to kill myself?! I couldn't though! Not because I was afraid, but because everyone kept me from doing just that! I'm just a tool, a key to this--- this--- thing called Kingdom Hearts!"

She tried to keep her cool, but she felt the overwhelming emotions within threaten to come out. She stared at her captor for a moment or two before she burst into a fit of tears again and turned away from him.

"So you see?! It's all your fault!"

He couldn't believe that was all she ever really wanted. To be normal? What kind of reason was that? But there was a sense to it. He'd never thought about what it would be like to stay inside forever…

"Come with me," he said quietly and took Kairi's arm gently.

Kairi began to wrench away, "I'm not going back to that room! Leave me alone!"

"I never said I was going to taking you there."

"Then where?!"

He shook his head, "You'll see."

She gave up and let him steer her through the dark halls. Finally, they reached a door and he pulled it open just as he let go of her. Suddenly, there was a giant flood of light that pooled over her body, sending a chill of anxiety through her. She had to shield her eyes for a moment to let them adjust before dropping her hand to see the full picture.

It was astounding. Beyond her were the green blades of grass and a silhouetted forest; all outlined by the deep night canvas full of tiny twinkling stars and of course, the beautiful crescent moon. She'd never seen anything so familiar to her, and yet, so different when it came upon her as up-close and personal.

"You know, you could come out here instead of standing in there gawking."

Kairi blushed and walked forward towards him. The instant she crossed the line that separated the inside of the building and the outdoors, she felt her skin tingle with joy. She was right. The light was so smooth and it was real moonlight coming straight from the sky!

"I never felt so, nice."

"There's always a first for everything," he said beside her.

Kairi bathed in the light for a few more moments before speaking again, "You know… I never caught your name before…"

The brown-haired boy turned his head to look at her, "It's Sora."

"Thanks, Sora. I really appreciate this," she murmured and gave him a smile.

Sora looked away turning red on the cheeks, "It's nothing really. And… Nobody ever told me your name before either…"

"People call me Kairi. If had another name before that, I wouldn't know it," she gazed up at the sky.

"That's a strange answer. Fine then, Kairi. What do you mean 'before'?" Sora asked.

Kairi cupped her hands together as if catching the moonlight. Amazingly, Sora watched as the whitish light DID pool into her hands like a liquid would. She let it slip off her hands and fall down towards the pavement. But when the light in liquid-like form touched the ground, it mixed with the rest of the moonlight on the concrete instead of getting it wet like he had expected.

"Can you do that?" she asked Sora. He mutely shook his head.

Kairi looked sadly at him, "I guess that just proves how much more that I can't be like everyone else." Sora in turn, gave her a questioning look.

"You see, I was found one day. The scientists all said I just appeared out of nowhere and they decided to take me in when they realized how different I was. They figured that I was some sort of thing to help them with their research about Kingdom Hearts. I have no idea what that is, but when they found an artifact that had some writing about the Seven Princesses of Heart, they figured I was one of them.

"Those scientists wanted to understand more about us and tried to force me to tell them where the rest of the Princesses were. But……… if I don't even know where I came from, how would I know the whereabouts of the others?

"When outsiders found about this 'mysterious' girl with strange powers, they thought I was dangerous and wanted to kill me. My observers hired a skilled fighter named Riku, the boy you fought, to protect me and keep me away from being destroyed or something. I don't like to see people die, but if I were killed, I wouldn't mind. At least I wouldn't be a nuisance to everyone else around me.

"And here I am, a prisoner that had barely any sense of what lied beyond a prison till tonight," she sighed and met his eyes, "Do you get the slight gist, now? That's just the long story told short."

Sora closed his eyes and nodded.

"What about you?"

Kairi watched as he turned away, looking anywhere but her, "I'm just a guy with this job as an assassin. But Ansem was the one who found _me_ when I was little. He said I was an orphan without parents and so I was taught and raised as a killer.

"I don't want to be one. I don't want to kill anyone, but I'm bound to whatever he orders me to do. 'Cause there's a darkness he put into me that can spread at his will. My only weapon to escape that sort of fate is my Keyblade of Light, the Oathkeeper. But it can only sustain the darkness, not overcome it."

Sora continued, "If I kill Ansem, then the darkness will be lifted. But Ansem's too powerful for me to overthrow just now, but I guess I'll never be able to get rid of him anyway. The darkness in me keeps me at bay, so I can't improve."

"I see. So you had no choice but to kidnap me in the first place, right?"

"Yes."

Kairi smiled softly at him. He looked at her, "What?"

"I can tell you're a good person with a good heart. You actually have two reasons to why you want to destroy the darkness in you. One is to get rid of Ansem's control, but the other is to be free of the dark and enter the light so you won't ever have to see another person die at your own hands again."

Sora didn't say anything. His face remained as expressionless as stone.

"Sora, you don't have to act like that. There's nothing wrong with admitting it," Kairi said as she knelt down and plucked up a plush purple flower. It was small and dainty in her palm. The wind picked up and took the tiny plant away in its clutches.

"Let's go. If they find us out here like this, we're going to be in big trouble, Kairi." He offered a hand to her and she took it. Sora pulled her up to her feet and the two walked back inside, closing the door. He had half expected her to throw a fit and want to stay out longer, but she didn't and followed him quietly towards her room.

Kairi paused momentarily looking warily at the door before her. She slipped in and left her shoes at the foot of her bed before getting under the covers. Sora took a restraint and cuffed her right hand. She looked at him and was about to protest before he muttered, "When you wake up tomorrow, they'll check on you. If they find you out of these, you'll have a tougher time trying to get out of ten-point restraints."

Kairi laid back and let Sora deal with the cuffs. But meanwhile, her eyelids began to feel heavier. She hadn't realized how tired she actually was and no sooner than that, she had fallen asleep.

When Sora finished, he looked at Kairi's face. She looked completely relaxed with nothing to fear as she slept. Her words from what she said to him outside remained fresh in mind, 'I can tell you're a good person with a good heart.'

Sora guessed that she wasn't afraid of him anymore. It seemed she had over-looked his position as a killer and saw who he really was. Gently, he pulled the bed sheet to her chin so the fabric could protect her more from the cold.

For the first time in years, Sora managed a real smile, but it disappeared the instant it came. No, he'd have to be careful nonetheless. He was an assassin for Pete's sake! And Ansem would breathe harder down his back if he were ever caught being friends with Kairi. He shook his head trying to clear his thoughts as he headed for the door.

But Sora couldn't help but give one last glance at Kairi's sleeping face when he shut her door once more. Imprisoning her again in the cold concealing room.

………

A/N: Don't worry – I'm already working on the next chapter. :)

Grrr… it may be Winter Break, but my parents want me to work on those stupid SAT questions that I'm taking soon. It's a little early for that, but whatever. I'm getting off topic right now, so I'll stop now. Either way, like I said, I'm still working on the story.

………

………

………


	5. The Truth Always Hurts

………

………

………

Chapter 5

………

Author: Kintora

………

………

………

Light. Everything was flooded in its very essence. She couldn't see a thing and felt around blindly with one hand as the other covered her sensitive eyes.

Then, something cool grazed her fingers and palm. It was, it was--------- she couldn't really tell. Letting her other hand drop from it current position shielding her eyes, Kairi accepted the blindness and felt with two hands, an intricately carved door.

After a few moments, she adjusted to the light and squinted at the cool object before her. 'What's going on…….??'

She looked around her when she heard voices. Far behind her were outlines of a few people. They were looking in her direction from as far as she could tell. But they were bleary forms. Was she not meant to see them? But more importantly, who were they?

For some reason, she felt that they weren't staring at her, but through her instead. Letting her eyes adjust further, Kairi could make out somebody's figure, before her. Then she noticed that it was a girl and 'she' was facing the other forms of people holding her lithe arms out, accepting the light.

Kairi became confused. Why was a girl just standing before some overly lit threshold? Kairi peered closely at the other teen's face, but she couldn't make out whom it was. Why is this happening? Is this a dream?

And where exactly was 'here'?

Suddenly, the light took forms as strands and wrapped itself over the girls. Then they started reaching inside of her body! She looked to be in pain as those bright strands started pulling and grasping whatever it was they wanted from her body.

Kairi grimaced and watched as a jewel-shaped heart was ripped out of the girl's chest. The body fell limply to the glassy ground, motionless – like it was dead, though she couldn't tell for sure.

The light raised the heart jewel up and it pulsed with a bright rose light. But Kairi let her eyes drift to the girl at her feet. It was just plain scary.

A figure from the group of unclear forms ran towards her… No, towards the dead girl. Whoever it was knelt down and lifted the girl up in their arms.

No matter how much Kairi tried to see their faces, she couldn't. She just couldn't recognize who they were. All the while though, Kairi felt…sorrow. Why, she didn't know, but just then, she felt herself falling. Falling away from the scene.

No! Who were they? What was going on?

A soothing voice broke through to her confused thoughts, _"Hush child. It is not time for you to understand yet, but you will. Just follow your heart until the very end…you must wake up! They will try to learn what you shall forget!"_

Kairi shuddered. It felt as if an ocean just tried to talk to her.

Many more voices entered Kairi's realm and soon, they jolted her awake, instantly forgetting about the dream. The first thing she felt were somebody's cold fingertips pressed onto her forehead. Her bright sapphire eyes snapped open and bore into those of mists. For a second, nothing happened and everyone seemed quiet down. Then –

Kairi screamed a merciless scream and caused the room's occupants to cover their ears. The eardrum-shattering scream from Kairi's vocals rang through the halls.

If her shriek weren't so loud, the door would have been heard as it banged open against the wall and a boy with spiked brown hair and blue eyes burst in. Suddenly, it was as if a barrier was placed in her throat by magic and her voice clogged up completely.

"Thank you, son," the voice above Kairi said. She stared petrified at the ceiling.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Sora's hand in the air as if he just snapped his fingers. Maybe he was using magic. Still who the hell thought they could just touch her while she was sleeping!

Kairi began squirming to get out of the old man's touch and clenched her fists, ready to strike. She twisted around. She absolutely _hated_ it when people touched her. Heck! The scientists at the old organization only touched her to get her blood samples and stuff!

"She's quite a wildcat for a Princess," the old man muttered, keeping his fingertips pressed against Kairi's forehead. She glared at him and surprisingly; the man took his hands away quickly as if something had shocked him. He held his wrists and stared at his hands in awe and fear.

Kairi heard people gather around the old man and some muttering things like:

"She burnt him."

"She's dangerous."

And "Shall I get some drugs to hold her still?"…

"No. Magic, must be overcome by magic."

Whatever the old guy said, Kairi lay tensed; her body as stiff as stone on the bed sheets. She could practically feel some of the scientists' gazes on her. Studying her. It was unnerving and annoying.

If she weren't strained this way, she'd get out of the room, away from everyone and hide till they settled down and promised to leave her alone.

As if they'd do just that.

She watched cautiously as the old wrinkled man came back towards her. That was when she realized he was dressed differently. To her, he was dressed in deep royal blue robes made of velvet and other robes underneath in various colors. Mosaic colors.

He touched her forehead again and closed his old misty gray eyes. Kairi was scared. He was going to do something to her, right? She tensed even more and her heart beat faster.

Suddenly, she began to feel light-headed. Not physically, but mentally. It was like her barrier or defense in her mind that stored all her secrets was loosening. She could see flashbacks of her time under the care of the other organization. There was the first time she met Riku when she was only nine and while he was ten. And even back then, he was good at fighting back then. There were those scary tests the scientists took on her.

Everything she remembered was starting to rise in her conscience. She could see everything she had been through at the same time! But then they all stopped after her last remember-able memory where she had sat in a white room, being questioned by adults in white lab-coats.

Slowly after a moment or two of something began prodding at her mind. She started seeing bright colors and they swirled in her vision, taking her further back into her past.

Instead of a flashback this time, Kairi felt herself drawn into the picture. She saw her younger self, no older than four, in a flower garden. Everything was warm and sunny, bright and colorful.

"Kairi!" someone called to her.

In the distance a young woman opened her arms wide to the little girl. Kairi watched as her little self ran to the woman and was pulled into the outstretched arms and all the time, the beautiful lady twirled her around cooing, "Hey sweetie!"

Kairi wanted to reach for them. She wanted to have a happy life again like back then! But it was as if she was rooted to where she was. Then she realized who the woman was… It was her Mom…

All too soon, the memory faded and Kairi was pulled into another memory – a devastating one. Slowly, she began to remember.

Houses were burning, and there were the screams of the village people. She saw her mother running away from the scene towards the woods with her little self, clinging onto her mother's neck. Kairi was moving along with them, watching.

Kairi saw her mother put her younger self onto the forest floor, the dark trees all around them.

"Kairi, they are after you! You are a Princess of Heart. Don't ever forget that!"

The little girl looked at the woman, "Momma, is it my fault?"

"No, no, sweetie. It's not your fault. I –"

The brushes and ferns were being pushed away, and whoever that were after them were coming towards them quickly! Kairi felt a sense of panic, the panic that shone on her younger self's face.

Her mother turned back to look the little girl straight in the eyes with a faint smile, "Kairi. Remember, I'll always love you no matter what happens to us."

"I'll always love you too, Mommy!"

The running footsteps and loud voices became clearer than ever before, "There! There they are!"

Kairi heard a spear thrown and it plunged into her mother's body, "Kai-Kairi!"

"Mommy!"

'_Mom!'_

The running feet arrived and Kairi saw her little self, disappearing in sparkling gold light. Her mother's hand was the source of the… magic?

"No, Mommy! Don't leave me!"

Her mother smiled at the little girl, "Forget about this world, Kairi. Forget about this place. Forget about this world. Just escape!"

Kairi's small self disappeared before any harm could be done to her and Kairi watched a few more agonizing moments, as her mother was tortured to death by the continuous spearing.

Soon, the memory too dispersed and Kairi was looking at the plain white ceiling once more.

Sora and the other scientists watched as Kairi's eyes clouded with tears and flowed out the corner of her eyes. She just lay utterly still, unmoving, she was not even tense. Just extremely still and the only way to tell she was alive was by the endless flowing of crystal tears.

The old mage got up, his misted eyes, seemed more clouded than before as he turned his gaze away from still girl to the room's other occupants.

A scientist asked, "Well, did she know where the other Princesses are?"

The mage shook his head sadly, "No. She was telling the truth when she said she had no idea. This girl has been through enough already and if you want to find the other princesses; search the other worlds. She may remember a bit more."

Sora found the scrawling of pens on paper annoying. And was relieved when the scientists soon left to their labs again for further research on other worlds.

The boy assassin stopped the mage before he could leave, "Sir, what did you find out about her?"

The old man paused and looked over his shoulder at Kairi's pale figure before turning to look at Sora again.

"Far more than I expected. You might want to ask her yourself. But don't jump onto the subject too quickly. Or else it will be too much for her to think about all at once." With a polite nod at Sora, the mage left the room.

Sora sighed. The man spoke secretively about what had happened a few moments ago. He made his way over to Kairi and sat down on her bed beside her. He stared into her now half-lidded eyes. "Kairi?"

Kairi made a motion to speak, but no sound came out. Sora snapped his fingers and she spoke softly in an almost inaudible voice, "I…couldn't…"

"You couldn't, what?" Sora prodded quietly.

"I couldn't… save…her, my mom… she's gone, because of me…" she whispered.

Sora waved a hand over Kairi's half-closed eyes. The irises did not even move, showing no sign of reacting in anyway. She was still unaware of him. Then how was she answering him?

"It's all my fault," her small voice keened as tears filled her eyes, and spilled silently down the sides of her face.

Then Sora realized why. She was still trapped somewhere in her horrible memories, blaming herself.

He turned away, not wanting to look at her deathly face any longer. He could not stand seeing the way her brow remained impassive while her lips curled into a small, bitter smile.

Her voice sounded vaguely like a child's suddenly.

"_I killed her._"

………

………

………

A/N: Okay! Fifth chapter is done. Thank you to those who reviewed last chapter.

………

………

………


	6. Things to Think About

………

………

………

Chapter 6

………

Author: Kintora

………

………

………

A couple of days later, Kairi had just laid in her bed, unmoving. The doctors were positive now that she wouldn't make a run for it and had taken off the restraints, but to her, she didn't care. Actually, she could care less about anything.

She barely ate, barely slept, and never talked after she had received her long lost memories. It was her mother who washed away the night from her memories. If fact, she had a feeling that it had been something she should have never even remembered. Maybe it was for the best, at least until now.

She had cried herself useless already and tears weren't a choice, so Kairi completely numbed herself to the outside world. She only traveled in her thoughts and it seemed endless. Kairi couldn't say she was grateful for just swimming around in her past and forgetting the present and much less, the future. It was just… What was there to live for anymore? She never really had a purpose anyway.

Kairi heard the faint sound of her door opening, but she didn't pay any attention to it, for she was still wrapped up in her own world. The quiet footsteps fell until they reached her bed.

"Kairi? You must be pretty hungry by now. Come on, I made some soup just for the two of us," a kind voice said cheerfully.

The blank faced girl shifted her empty eyes to the woman and stared back into her bright green eyes. The lady set the food on Kairi's stand beside her bed while long waves of rich brown hair tumbled forward.

Kairi hated to admit it, but she felt kind of bad not talking to her. This woman, Aerith, at least that's what Kairi thought her name was, constantly looked out for her. But in Kairi's depression, nothing could really make her speak. The redhead just shook her head slowly from side to side to indicate that she didn't want any.

Aerith put her hands on her hips and stayed just as cheerful with that nice smile on her face, "I thought you would decline. Everyone keeps expecting that you won't eat, but you haven't eaten in _three_ days! I don't want to put you on the drip now."

Kairi gave up her hopes of escaping the meal at the thought of an IV poking into her arm. She allowed Aerith to help her into a sitting position before the woman pulled up another chair and sat down facing her. Kairi's hand held her spoon weakly in her hands before dipping the utensil in the scalding liquid and bringing it back up to her lips.

The burning soup slipped down Kairi throat but she didn't flinch at all. The heat of the liquid was just a sensation distanced far away.

Aerith tried to do the same thing but once it got to her mouth, she winced and brought her spoon quickly back into her bowl.

"Ouch. I thought it was a bit too hot. You haven't burned yourself, have you?" she asked kindly.

Aerith hadn't been expecting a verbal answer from Kairi, but she was surprised when Kairi's distant voice told her, "There isn't a difference between hot and cold. They're too extreme. I'm just ignoring it."

Kairi kept her eyes shadowed from view under Aerith's surprised gaze. The older woman shook her head, "Did you just say something? If you did, that was the first time I've ever heard your voice."

Kairi gave her a weak smile, "I'm sorry for giving you the cold shoulder recently, it's just… It's just that when the mage gave me back my memories, I remembered some really horrible event that…" Kairi willed herself not to cry and luckily, she didn't.

However, Aerith didn't seem to mind the least bit, "Everyone told me that you were just in depression because you were brought here. Not because of getting over amnesia. And I don't mean to pry and cause you to get sad again, but what did you remember? – If you don't mind me asking, that is."

Kairi set down her bowl of empty soup, "It's okay, I'll tell you. But I haven't really ever told anyone personal things before and it's hard to explain."

Aerith shrugged it off, "Hey don't worry, I'm patient and I'll bet that if you tell someone something you've bottled up inside of you, you'd feel better afterwards."

Kairi managed a small smile and told Aerith about the mage a few days back and about her memories. The brown-haired lady listened carefully to everything and realized how much this girl actually went through. It took quite some time getting everything out of Kairi and by the time she was finished with her story, her throat had gone dry.

"I'm really sorry to hear what happened… Does anyone else know about this?" Aerith asked, her eyes worried.

Kairi shook her head, "No. Except for the mage. I have a feeling he didn't tell anyone about what he saw though."

Aerith nodded and smiled, "Well thanks for sharing with me about what happened. I hope you're feeling more light-hearted now, right? Get some rest though, it'll help too," she cleared the stand of bowls and spoons, "I'll talk to you later, okay?"

Kairi nodded and slid back under her covers and closed her eyes. Aerith stood and walked to the door. She opened it with her free hand and turned the lights off. She proceeded out and closed the door behind her before heading down the hall to the kitchens.

Back in Kairi's room, she lay awake, but with her eyes closed. Aerith was right. She did feel better now that she had talked to her about her past. Aerith seemed really understanding. Perhaps she should open up a tad more instead of floating in self-pity world.

She was just on the brink of falling asleep when her door opened up once again and someone walked in, standing just by the door. Kairi's eyelids slid open a bit and blinked tiredly before she awakened completely and bolted up.

"Calm down, girl. I've just come to tell you something," Ansem's crude voice said.

As he drew closer to her, Kairi backed away from him, where her back hit the wall and she was trapped. The man stopped at her bedside and bent over so his face was right by hers.

His hot stingy breath against her cheek made a shiver of disgust crawl up her stiff spine, "You will be accompanying a group of people from my organization and aid them in their search for the other Princesses and the door to the darkness, Kingdom Hearts."

Kairi kept her mouth shut. How could she help them when their intentions were probably horrible, and she didn't have the faintest idea as to where any of the other princesses were? His blood red eyes peered into her ocean blue ones. She glared right back as if daring him, but he just pulled away mockingly.

"You're quite fiery one. I like that attitude, but you'll have to learn _when_ to use it." Without warning, his fist connected with her cheek.

Kairi's head snapped to the side and she brought a pale hand to her newly inflicted wound. It stung and the pain bit at her from beneath her slim fingers. She held back her tears and kept her infuriated gaze away from him.

"Look at me," she heard him order.

But she didn't want him to see her close to tears. She wanted to remain defiant and not coil over because of stupid words and a sharp blow to her face. But instead, she felt his firm hand grip her chin and soon her eyes were once again jerked into another stare-down with him.

"When I say look at me, you _look_ at me," he snarled at her, "You will help me find those princesses, and enter Kingdom Hearts whether you like it or not, girl!"

Kairi stared into his eyes, but she didn't have the same angry spark in them any more. Instead, she was more furious than ever. He questioned her himself about what he was after, she told him she had no idea, then he made her take a lie detector test and that proved that what she said was true. And even a mage came in to unlock her devastating memories, caused her to go into depression, and that also proved she had no new information to give. What the _hell_ was her mental health worth anyway?

Her hands flew to his, which was positioned under her jaw. She tried to push his hand away, but it barely even budged. Damn it, the idiot was strong! She had thought he was only a man of words. Kairi continued to jerk angrily from his grasp until his free hand grabbed both her wrists and began to squeeze and add pressure onto them.

Kairi was left helpless and her legs were too tangled with the bed sheets to kick out at him. Slowly, she could feel her blood circulation begin to get cut off and all the while creating dark bruises that contrasted greatly from the pale color of her skin on her wrists.

"Don't try to defy me like that again, understand?" With that, he released her but not before shoving her against the wall where her head and shoulder slammed into it.

The man gave one last simmering look at her and left, slamming the door shut and sent all hopes of light from the hall down the drain.

Kairi felt the darkness of the room wrap around her for a few moments. Her upper body ached, especially her face. Oh Destiny, she could just imagine what she looked like. After her body obeyed her command to unfreeze, she pulled the blank white sheets over her prone figure and lay in bed facing away from the door.

There was no way she could sleep now. Not when she knew that Ansem still lurked in the building. She wasn't angry with him anymore. No, actually she was, it was just that she was probably more afraid of what he was capable of doing to her.

For the next hour or so (she didn't bother counting) Aerith came back to check on Kairi as promised. The lights flickered on and the older woman found Kairi facing away from her and shaking slightly. Aerith made a small wave to test the room's temperature but found it normal and not cold at all.

"Kairi? What's wrong?" Aerith approached the appointed girl cautiously. She touched Kairi's right shoulder, but the younger girl withdrew quickly and buried her face further from view and made a muffled cry, "No! Don't touch me! Don't look at me!"

Aerith began to worry, "Kairi? Here, don't worry, let me see. Something wrong with your shoulder?"

Slowly, after much persuading, Aerith was able to get Kairi out of her previous tight ball position and was soon horrified, "Kairi! What _happened_?"

She enveloped Kairi's crying form and held the girl in a motherly fashion, "Who did this to you?! Oh my gosh, don't tell me yet, let me grab some potion and herbs. You need treatment! Don't worry, my job's a healer, so you'll be okay."

Aerith pulled away gently from Kairi and hurried out and in two minutes flat, she had closed the door behind her, arms full of healing items. She set out quickly, rubbing Kairi's chin and cheek with medicine and potion and making the swollen area heal until it was only a purpled spot along her face.

Next she tended to Kairi's wrists and right shoulder. She tutted to herself and tried to calm Kairi down. Soon, all Kairi's wounds were almost unnoticeable except for her face, which still had the dark side of a bruise and still hurt like crazy when she touched it.

Aerith took Kairi's trembling hands in hers and looked into Kairi's startled violet-blue eyes with her own soothing green eyes, "Please, tell me what happened and who did it."

Slowly, Kairi told Aerith what happened with some difficulty since her jaw still ached. Aerith comforted her, however, and rubbed Kairi's back trying to make her feel better, "It's okay, I know the man's really cruel. He's nothing like a gentleman. But listen to me, Kairi, stay clear of him. I don't want you hurt. He can do many horrible things to you and you'd have no way to confront him about it. If he continues to hurt you, come to me, I'll heal you right away and help you, but I can't do much more than that. Please promise me."

Kairi nodded mutely, partially because her jaw didn't feel like easing up and let her talk normally once more.

Aerith sighed and smiled, "Oh yes, you know the journey? I'm assuming that's what Ansem came in to tell you in the first place. The good thing is I'll be the healer on deck so I'll be by your side all the time. There will be Cloud, Yuffie, Squall---I mean Leon, Sora, a few other people I'm not very familiar with, and Sephiroth, unfortunately," Aerith noticed Kairi looking tense and patted the girl on her good shoulder, "And god knows that Cloud, Yuffie, Leon and I DON'T want to go after the Princesses and that Kingdom Hearts. I'm not sure of the others though. Just stay with us and we'll keep you out of trouble, okay?"

Kairi nodded and managed to say a quiet thank-you. Aerith nodded and bid Kairi goodnight, making sure Kairi got into bed. She then turned off the lights once more and finally, Kairi could sleep. At least she knew there were people here she could trust.

………

………

………

A/N: Wow. Long chapter. It's now a little past midnight, but I have finally finished this chapter! I'm not real tired, but I have to get to bed.

Sorry, no Sora in this chapter, but he'll show. Duh, he IS a main character in this story.

Let me know if you have any questions!

………

………

………


	7. Preparation for Blast Off

………

………

………

Chapter 7

………

Author: Kintora

………

………

………

Three days later, Kairi slowly began talking to those around her, though she'd have to say that she talked more with Aerith and Yuffie like no other two people. She had considered both of them very close friends and "guardian" in Aerith's case.

That afternoon, Yuffie sped into Kairi's room so quickly that she appeared to be a striking blur. Kairi barely had time to acknowledge her arrival before her bed made a forceful jolt as she found herself bounced a foot into the air. She landed second later on her mattress, but found Yuffie grinning at her like a Cheshire cat.

"Guess what? Tonight we leave! For the new world! It's going to be so awesome! But we're leaving tonight! Do you think we can find other people out there? I mean, like, people-people! Towns-people, city-people, people like them! I'm sick and tired of always staying here with gaga-eyed scientists, and stiff-back guards, and snappy mechanical engineer dudes! If I had a choice I'd want to go now. It'd be so cool! I wonder if they got knives for sale and clothes –"

Kairi held a hand up in surrender to her overly excited friend, "Whoa there! Calm down Yuffie. You said everything so fast, I couldn't understand a word."

Yuffie took a deep breath and said everything extremely slowly, "Weeeeeeeeeeeeee. Arrrrreeeeeeee. Goooooooooooiiinnnnnnnnnngggggg. Tooooooooooooooooooo –"

Kairi quirked an eyebrow and gave Yuffie the "you're out of your mind" look when someone came in, "She means we're going to another world tonight. Our first stop on this journey."

The burgundy-haired girl turned away from the ridiculous looking ninja and spotted Leon, Aerith, and Cloud at the door way. She recognized that it was Leon who spoke and directed her next comment to him, "Thanks. For saving me from her."

Aerith smiled and Leon smirked, "Don't mention it."

"Well, we were all going to tell you, but it seemed that "the best female ninja ever" just had to come rushing in five minutes before we did," Aerith said.

Kairi managed a small smile in return. She wasn't really looking forward to the whole "trip". It wasn't her favorite idea to go back to the real realms of her past nightmares and she didn't want to go hunt for missing Princesses and Kingdom Hearts. Her friends could sense her ordeal and stuck up for her. She was really glad that they were gong with her.

Cloud's sudden order startled her, "Get packing, we're leaving in 3 hours at the last glow of sunset." With that, he nodded his head slightly to her and walked away, his footsteps vanishing after a few moments. Yup. That's Mr. Sour Pants all right.

"Cloud's made his statement. Aerith and Yuffie were assigned to accompany you at all times. They'll help you with packing, though I don't think there's much to hold on to as of now," Leon said, "I'll see you three later." Soon, he too walked away.

The door closed behind him and Aerith made her way towards Yuffie and Kairi, "Let's start!"

Kairi got up while Yuffie hopped her way towards Kairi's nearby drawer as Aerith had Kairi accompany her to picking out clothes from the nearby dresser.

The two fumbled around and found a few purple and blue loose shirts. They added those to the duffel bag Aerith provided and soon they had jeans, jean shorts, khakis shorts, underclothing, socks and a nice pair of brown walking boots that Aerith had gotten for Kairi one night.

"Hey Kairi? You need this pen?" Yuffie asked.

"Err…"

"How about this notebook? If you don't want it, I'll have it!"

"Yuff –"

"And can I have this pencil too?"

"I –"

"Hey, you never told me you had a dictionary before either! What for?"

"I found –" Kairi managed to make out two syllables before being cut off again. She often wondered how Yuffie made it onto her short list of friends.

"Aw, and cute little pink eraser! Where do you get these things?"

"YUFFIE!" Aerith finally raised her voice after Kairi's soft-spoken words weren't hear by the preppy girl.

"Yes?" Yuffie asked cheerfully. If she noticed Aerith's stern tone, she either ignored it or didn't notice its change in voice level.

"Oh Destiny…"Aerith groaned tiredly. Kairi giggled watching the scene. She sometimes wondered how those two ever got along.

After they finished helping Kairi pack, they spent the rest of their time at Aerith's and Yuffie's rooms to clean their things. Then the three stayed in Kairi's room to talk for the remaining hour. And before they knew it, it was time.

Leon and Cloud had come back to get the girls.

Yuffie was just as excited as before or more and seemed to constantly like to bug Leon about it. Kairi hid a grin as Yuffie clung to Leon's arm while chattering away. Aerith had moved from talking to Kairi on her right and talking to the stoic blond on her left. Well, at least she tried to talk to the man but only got out a grunt or a one-syllable answer once in a while.

Soon they reached a huge and spacious ship garage. There were five ships in total in what Kairi could see, though she was led to a specific one. It was medium size compared to the others and was, to say, somewhat colorful. There was yellow, navy, red, and mostly black with silver. Wherever she was, this place must have been really rich.

When they boarded, Kairi found the rather high-tech looking and really large ship: automatic doors, lots of controls, a few cameras stationed here and there, and probably a lot of hidden things in the walls. Aerith and Yuffie left the guys and dragged Kairi around with them to examine the inner ship more carefully.

They toured the various decks and checked out the different rooms. There were training rooms, a kitchen where the chef would cook, bedrooms, etc.

"Will all personnel report to the control room," the nearest intercom blasted.

Yuffie made a face. It had cut her off while she was telling Kairi and Aerith a joke.

The three made there way down the nearest staircase with Aerith leading them to their appointed destination. They were turning a corner when Aerith made a sudden stop making Kairi bump into her and Yuffie to collide into Kairi and Aerith.

"Aerith, what's with the hold up?" Yuffie exclaimed as she adjusted her headband.

But Aerith wasn't paying attention to Yuffie, "Hello, Sora," She smiled warmly.

Kairi looked over Aerith's shoulder and indeed, the spiky-haired fighter looked at the jumbled girls oddly. Yuffie huffed and stood a little ways away.

"Aren't you three supposed to be down at the control room?" he asked.

"We were on our way there, what about you?" Aerith asked back.

Sora made eye contact with Kairi, "I was sent to make sure she was on ship and not elsewhere." The redhead blushed and looked away, "It's not like I'd be able to go anywhere without supervision."

"You might want to follow me. I need to bring you all down there," Sora said. He turned and walked back from where he came from with Aerith, Kairi, and Yuffie in tow.

The group made it to a dark room with a large slanted window that was tinted so they could see out, but nobody could see in. If there were plenty of controls outside, the place had hundreds of buttons and switches glowing brightly through the dimness on control panels before the window, on the walls and on the ceiling. There were seven seats in total by the controls where the engineers and pilots would sit during the flight.

Kairi had never, in her whole life, seen something like this! It was amazing in her eyes! Despite the sight being probing for her to look around, she stayed rooted to her spot and waited for what the other people in the room needed to say.

Among the other men, she recognized a white haired man as Sephiroth. He was with Cloud and Ansem the first time she came. And he was the first to speak.

"I called you all here to tell you all where you will be staying on board. The Princess of Heart will have the company of Aerith. Both of them and Kisaragi will stay on the top deck and the rest of you will have your sleeping quarters on the lower decks," he explained the rules on board, etc, until he dismissed everyone after giving instructions. To her, Kairi thought Sephiroth sounded annoyingly arrogant with that cold voice of his.

Kairi didn't get why he couldn't just use her name like Aerith, Yuffie, Leon, Cloud, and Sora did. She shrugged it off and followed Aerith and Yuffie back out again. She never stayed in one room very long each turn on the ship.

The three of them marched back up the stairs in almost a tired fashion and Aerith and Kairi split with Yuffie to a different room on the same level where they would occupy.

Both had just about finished unpacking when they heard the engine rev in the distance. Before Kairi could grab onto anything to steady herself, she was nearly thrown off balance by the sudden jolt of preparing for take-off.

A pilot's voice filled the intercom this time, "We're departing in ten seconds to count. Please stay out of the hallways and in your rooms until the worst of turbulence is over, thank you."

For a second, realization hit home. Kairi's heart swelled up with cold fear from her memory of what had happened years ago and anxiety, to discover, to uncover her lost past and nearing future.

………

………

………

AN: Good! Another chapter! At least I made Sora appear, but it wasn't much. And about adding some out-of-character scenes... I know Yuffie wasn't really that hyperactive. Still, I hope you guys liked the story so far. I don't know how much you're enjoying this story, but I personally love it. :)

Hope to hear from you!

………

………

………


	8. Behind Her Words

………

………

………

Chapter 8

………

Author: Kintora

………

………

………

A/N: Sorry for the slightly long wait, guys. I had to finish my Card Captor Sakura fiction first. Hey, I was one chapter from completing it and was getting on my nerves when it uploaded wrong. Anyway, thanks to the winter weather, I have time to type this up. I'm sorry for having to ramble on and on about, but it's not hard.

That night, Kairi lay watching the colorful display of the space while the ship traveled between the worlds' open borders. She stared blankly out her window, Aerith already fast asleep on the other side of the room.

She was scared. She'll always be scared of what was to come. Somehow, she had the feeling that Ansem knew exactly where she came from. They were probably headed straight for her world at this point. If she hadn't remembered what had happened in her past, she probably would have been the least bit curious. Of course, since her memories weren't all the pleasant, she was nervous as anyone could ever be.

It didn't help either when her "mission" was to help the enemy track down the other Princesses of Heart. How could she do something like that? Her? Betray the balance of Dark and Light? Personally, it would have been better if everything were left the way it already was.

…

…

…

…

…

…Who was she kidding?

Ansem would still get his grimy hands on one of the other girls if it weren't her he had in reach.

She guessed… Destiny just had to decide everything. It always will have something in store.

Kairi rolled over, her back facing the window. She clutched the pillow in her arms that had once served under her head. Well, perhaps it was better this way. She had made close friends like Yuffie and Aerith. Heck, she'd even consider Leon and Cloud her friends also. Everyone else aboard just worked their loyalty to Ansem so they weren't worth her trust.

'_What about Sora?'_

Kairi sat up, frustrated with the little reasonable voice in the back of her head. Okay, so she couldn't exactly blame Sora on anything. After all, he had told her that he was like her in a way. Found all alone on his own at a young age, taken in by Ansem and made into an assassin.

Another voice in her head commented, _'He's an assassin. He's not worth your trust either.'_

'_But there's evil that was PUT inside of him,'_ the more forgiving voice argued back.

The demonic tone resumed, _'He can control it. He should control it. It's his own fault.'_

'_Remember? Ansem controls the evil or lets it loose whenever he wants the boy to suffer.'_

'_Ansem's not here right now; the kid should choose his own path.'_

'_Oh? How would you know that the trick doesn't work long distance?'_

'_It just isn't. But that's my point! The kid is already so corrupted, Kairi should just forget it!'_

'_But isn't the solution obvious?'_

'_No, you piece of garbage.'_

'_You're an idiot then.'_

'_No, I'm not.'_

'Yes, you are! Kairi just has to care about him and then –" 

Kairi was about to scream. Since when did heaven and hell arrive in her head?

"I need some fresh air," she grumbled under her breath.

She crept to the door, slid it open and closed it silently. She walked around in her nightclothes that consisted of cotton shorts and a baggy shirt. Soon, it began to get chilly. Oh dang, she just had to forget a jacket or something didn't she?

Rubbing her hands against her arms to create some heat, she decided to head back to her and Aerith's room. Just as she turned a corner she bumped into someone and let out a strange sound that sounded like, "Eek!"

A gloved hand caught her arm and steadied her tripping form.

"You shouldn't be out so late."

Kairi didn't bother looking up to know who it was, "H-hey Sora." She was glad that it was dark and her hair was hiding the bright embarrassing flush on her cheeks.

Neither of them said a word, but Kairi was the first to clear her throat and look at Sora's hand that still rested on her arm. He instantly retracted it as if her skin burned his palm even under his half-finger gloves.

For a moment, Sora's voice lost its coldness as he softened his tone, "So what are you doing out so late?"

Kairi's hot pink blush turned stark red. How in the world did he make her face turn on and off like a colored light bulb?

"I…couldn't sleep."

Sora said nothing.

"I came out to get some fresh air." Could she get even redder than this?

"Would you like to talk for a second?" she asked timidly.

"Fine."

Sora leaned against the windowsill and Kairi did the same.

"Well?" Sora began.

Kairi nearly had a heart attack as she gave a start. Oh god, she must look like an idiot.

"Umm…"

She racked her head for something to say. Why the heck did she just ask to have a civil conversation with him when she didn't even have a subject to begin with?!

Sora remained silent, trying his best to wait for her to say something. When she didn't answer, he straightened himself and was about to walk away when Kairi's hand gently reached out for his and held on.

"Please? Just stay with me?" she asked. Her eyes pleaded into his.

Sora gave a light sigh and resumed his spot and crossed his arms.

"Why are you always so cold? I've never seen you crack a smile before. And you rarely ever talk to me or anyone else for that fact. The most I've ever heard that came out of your mouth was the last time we talked like this. Is… Is something the matter?" Kairi blurted out. Fate and Destiny! She really _did_ feel like a total fool.

If Sora thought the same, she didn't see a difference in his character.

But in truth, Sora was really thinking. Kairi had a point. He was cold and distant, but he had reasons for the ways he acted towards the people around him.

"It's just who I've become. And besides, the whole universe is just a screwed up place."

"And why is that?" she asked.

Sora opened his eyes glared daggers at the wall, "It just is when you're alone."

"I was alone. But I still smile."

The chestnut-haired warrior looked at her and saw her smiling at him. "You won't understand," he said looking away once more.

Kairi's smile vanished a bit, "How would I not understand?"

When he didn't answer her question, she left her stance and stood in front of him before tiptoeing up. She whispered gently into his ear, her words and action shocking him, "You may have been alone Sora. But you're not anymore."

Kairi dropped back to her heels and looked him in the eyes while still holding her smile enough to be visible on her lips.

With one last look at him, she left him staring at the wall again. Only this time, there was a light in his eyes and his confusion.

………

………

………

AN: Please leave a comment for me. :) Thanks!

………

………

………


	9. Blowing the Whistle

………

………

………

Chapter 9

………

Author: Kintora

………

………

………

A/N: Hey guys! Jee, thanks for all the reviews and comments. :) It's great having people like this story. Here's the 9th chapter! Enjoy and let me know how you think the story's coming out to be. No Flames! Thank you.

………

………

………

Aerith was having difficulty trying to wake Kairi from her deep slumber the next day. Well, she couldn't really tell as of yet since the borders between different worlds didn't have a sun or moon to determine that fact. But all she knew was that it was "supposed" to be morning according to the clock on their nightstand.

"Kairi? Kairi, come on! It's time to wake up," Aerith spoke softly into the younger girl's ear.

Kairi groaned and tugged the covers tightly around her and turned her back to Aerith's face. The healer stood up straight and mock frowned while setting her hands on her hips like she was mad.

"Kairi! You're going to have to get up if it's the last thing I do! Kairi? Hey! Did you even hear a word I said?"

The girl mumbled incoherently and pulled her covers over her head leaving only long strands of dark red hair visible.

"Kai! I know you can hear me!" Aerith's voice increased a tad more. She hoped that she wouldn't wake anyone else up on the ship.

"Five more… minutes… please?" Kairi managed to wheeze out.

"No, no, Kairi! Today's the day I teach you how to fight. Just for some defense. We'll be working in the training room on the lower decks. I know we'll have a great time and you'll learn fast!" Aerith paused for Kairi to get up and say something or at least react in some way. "Kairi… Oh, you're hopeless…"

"Never lose hope my friend!" a hyper voice chirped quite loudly from the door.

Aerith nearly jumped three feet into the air when her dark-haired friend had suddenly spoken up, "Yuffie?"

Yuffie shot the brown-haired girl a weird look, "Like, yeah. Who else?"

The grin instantly appeared again on the ninja's face, "Now let's see. It seems that miss sleeping beauty there is still… sleeping. And you said you want her to go for some training?"

Yuffie looked inquiringly at Aerith, "No problem. Let's start with the normal whistle tradition shall we?"

Whipping out a silver whistle from one of her pockets, Yuffie placed the shiny object to her mouth. She moved closer to Kairi and shielded her ears as she breathed in so deeply, her face was turning paler by the second.

For a moment's pause, Aerith thought Yuffie wouldn't dare do it.

But she was sadly mistaken.

Yuffie let out the loudest whistle sound in all the instrument's history. The blasting crisp note was sent throughout the entire ship, and all its occupants jerked violently awake. Aerith had to jam her hands hard against her ears to block the sound.

But even as loud as the whistle could go, it didn't beat the sharpest high-pitched scream that escaped from Kairi's throat. Just as the merciless noise had died down, the door to their room had been kicked wide open, revealing some rather frazzled young men standing there in their pajamas.

"What in the _seven burning hells_ is going on up here?" Leon yelled. Cloud, Sora, Sephiroth, and the rest of the crewmembers stared at the three females, waiting for an explanation.

Yuffie turned around, her whistle lay loosely at her mouth and her big and innocent looking eyes blinked cautiously at them. Leon crossed his arms and gave her a disapproving glance.

Sephiroth walked past the door and plucked the silver instrument from Yuffie's mouth, "I shall be confiscating this from you."

When the silver-haired man turned away from her, Yuffie crossed her arms and stuck her tongue out at him in a mocking manner. She continued to make faces at his turned back while he inspected Kairi.

The poor girl sat there clutching her ears, the loud ringing still resounding in them. Sephiroth didn't bother much with her as he faced his comrades again, and judging his look, the Princess of Heart would be fine.

"Aerith, take care of her," he nodded at the appointed woman.

"And Kisaragi? You get to clean the floors for the entire week, understood?"

Yuffie instantly stopped her silly face making when he turned to her. Instead she looked genuinely outraged, "_ONE WEEK!_"

"And it'll be a month or two if you keep your behavior up."

Yuffie fumed and turned seventeen shades of red with anger. It took both her will power and Aerith to keep her hands from ripping Sephiroth's pretty silver ponytail clean off his head.

The man in charge walked calmly away from Yuffie and out the door. The others left along with him with the exception of Leon, Cloud, and Sora.

Kairi snapped from her trance. What exactly just happened?

The redhead glanced at each of the room's occupants nervously with an identical look of confusion for each, "Um…hi?"

Everyone in the room sighed and shook his or her heads.

Aerith had brought the breakfast for Kairi, Yuffie, and herself to eat. It wasn't much, but it should do for their time being.

She opened the door with her free hand and found a grumpy Yuffie and thoughtful looking Kairi occupying the room still. Aerith set the plate of pancakes and eggs along with some juice down on a Kairi's nightstand.

Yuffie kept herself occupied with walking around the room in circles and sitting down once in a few minutes while grumbling moodily.

Aerith shook her head and sat down on a chair beside Kairi. She decided to strike up some small conversation with the younger girl, "Hey, brought you guys some food."

Kairi made a faint smile, "Thanks, but you didn't have to ."

Aerith grinned, "Really now? Why'd you say that? I'm gonna make you toughen up! I believe you were sleeping away while I told you this, but I'm training you with some basic battle skills today. Sound good?"

The healer piled some food on her plate and Kairi did the same, but the redhead couldn't help but ask, "I though you were the medical expert on this ship. How do you know how to fight?"

Aerith smiled, "Just because I'm a girl and I'm the crew's "doctor", doesn't mean I don't know how to fight. Everyone needs to know a thing or two about it; cause things can get quite dangerous. People here need to learn how to fend for themselves and not rely too entirely on another."

"I guess the saying's true. You can't judge a book by its cover," said Kairi.

"Yeah, you really can't. It's hard to believe that I go around healing people as a medic and then beat others up into a bloody pulp as a fighter."

Kairi nodded as she chewed silently.

Aerith spun around in her chair, "Hey Yuff! If you don't stop your moping, we'll eat up you food as well!"

Yuffie stopped in her tracks and glared, "That's not fair!"

"Well, I didn't exactly go all the way down to the kitchen to get cold food. So come here and sit! You can mumble and grumble all you want later!" Aerith reasoned sarcastically.

Yuffie snorted and pulled up a chair to sit down in. She loaded her plate and began her eating. Slowly, the moods seemed to brighten as the three began talking and laughing again.

When they were done, Yuffie stood up, "I guess I'll have to go mop and mope now. Cya two later!" With that, the dark-haired ninja left the room; her light steps soon descended to the lower decks.

"I guess we should send these down to the kitchen to get washed, right?" Kairi asked her friend and indicated to the dirty plates.

"Yup, and then we'll see how you fair on your first day of fighting!"

Kairi inwardly groaned when she saw the mischievous sparkle in Aerith's green eyes. Oh yeah, that meant, she would have quite a time.

………

………

………

A/N: I hope you liked this chapter!

………

………

………


	10. A Dangerous Lesson

………

………

………

Chapter 10

………

Author: Kintora

………

………

………

A/N: Thanks to those of you who reviewed! Enjoy chapter 10!

………

………

………

Kairi clutched her poor aching arm. Okay, so her entire body was aching, but blame that on Aerith!

"Oh, come on Kairi! You were doing just fine. You know you can't just stop and expect the enemy to drop their weapon and help you up. They'd kill you the second they can!" Aerith exclaimed.

Kairi winced as she gripped her staff tightly in hand again and pulled herself up, "Aerith, I'm just not…good enough," she panted.

Aerith shook her head, "Nope, that's only cause you believe yourself to be. So force yourself into believing you can do it. Now, enough chat, let's start again. I'll treat your wounds later!"

Kairi had to use her newly learned ability, dodge roll, a couple of times to avoid Aerith's swinging staff. (Mind you, she had the bruises to prove it). Jumping up and away to gain distance, Kairi prepared herself to guard.

Soon, the two were locked, head to head, "Good, you're doing better. See? What did I say?"

Kairi broke away and tried to sweep the older girl off her feet, but Aerith avoided came in for another hit right away.

But something felt wrong. The air had changed abruptly in the last second. Goosebumps rose on her flesh as she sensed the horrible stench of darkness, it's clammy cold feel diminishing the once bright atmosphere.

The force of the staff against her side sent Kairi sprawling painfully a few feet away. The instant she looked up, Aerith was onto her again. Instinct made her roll to the side and keep rolling to confuse her mentor.

The brunette aimed for Kairi's head. But each time, she stabbed, Kairi managed to miss it by a hair.

It was quite terrifying for the redhead as Aerith was picking up her speed and ramming the weapon harder and harder against the ground.

But it ended all too soon as Kairi's back hit the padded training room's wall.

Damn it.

And the moment Kairi looked up, the end of Aerith's staff was directed toward Kairi's face. "Well, well, well, Kairi, it seems you lost. Should I, or should I _not_ kill you this minute?"

Kairi panicked. From the look in Aerith's deep emerald gaze, there was a hint of a glowing buttery yellow in them, "A-Aerith! What're are you doing?"

"Practice. Just practice," the girl said mockingly, "On the course of life and death, that is," she added.

Kairi glared hard into her eyes. No, it wasn't Aerith she was talking to. The healer she knew was somehow being controlled, like a mindless puppet by an invisible puppeteer.

"You're not her. I know you aren't."

"Whatever are you bumbling about? I _am_ Aerith."

Kairi fumed, "Shut up! You're not her. She'd _never_ kill someone intentionally if she had a choice!"

'Aerith' grinned maliciously, "Dear little Kairi. How can you say such a thing? To me especially?" she snickered, "I hold your life in my hands now. You shouldn't talk to me with such a sassy tongue."

"Yeah? Well, maybe you should just start making sense. You're not Aerith," Kairi said.

But she couldn't say any more as the staff was gutted into her side, knocking the air out, "You were saying?"

Kairi spluttered as red liquid seeped from the corner of her mouth, "Get – off!" With a shove of her own forgotten weapon, the action startled 'Aerith' long enough for Kairi to slip away and bolt for the door.

But the instant she reached, the locks were snapped shut and the steel handles were twisted into a firm knot, as easily as string would! Pressing her back against her only escape, Kairi was absolutely gripped with fear.

Someone or something was controlling Aerith and whatever it was had mastered psychic power. She was in deep trouble.

"There's no escape. No one's here to save you now, my sweet."

Boy, did THAT sound wrong coming from Aerith.

Finally finding her voice and regaining the use of her limbs, Kairi pounded against the door, "Yuffie! Leon! Cloud! _Sora! HELP!_"

Aerith was attacking when Yuffie's voice rang on the other side of the doors, "Kairi, is that you? What's going on in there?!"

But Kairi didn't have time to answer as she dodge rolled away again and Aerith's staff was thrust against the door were Kairi's face just was.

There was only a fleeting moment as 'Aerith' charged at Kairi again and the burgundy-haired girl screamed, "_YUFFIE!_ Help!"

The room's two occupants could hear movement outside and the door's hinges protesting as it was pushed against over and over. And the banging of fists on the metal was noticed too.

Aerith grabbed another weapon as they neared the other side where some fighting equipment were placed. Kairi caught the glint of a silver blade before it was thrust at her.

Moving just slightly at the last second to avoid its coarse to her head, Kairi was stabbed clean through her left shoulder.

The wound seared with white-hot pain and tears clouded the young teen's eyes. Blood gushed like a faucet's water that had been left flowing from her shoulder, the warm liquid soaking her training outfit and staining it like red wine.

Aerith's hands were stilled wrapped around the dagger's handle and were forced to twist the blade and shatter Kairi's bone further. Kairi screamed from the blinding mixed pain.

The sharp bang of the door smashing to the ground, leaving the entrance clear open was enough to bring a small sense of relief through Kairi's nearly mangled body. Spiky blond hair was instantly blocking Kairi's view of Aerith.

She could feel the pressure on the hilt being released and felt herself crumbling to the ground as her legs gave away.

"Kairi!" Yuffie called as she rushed to aid her fallen friend. The eighteen-year-old ninja inspected Kairi's wound and grimaced at how much blood the younger girl was losing. Plus, the mutilated skin around the blade didn't help ease Yuffie's view.

Kairi could feel her eyes getting quite heavy as she struggled to stay awake. Her head felt like it was spinning and she was severely fatigued.

She was certain to hear Yuffie's protests for her to stay focused, 'Aerith's' angry shouts for Cloud to let go of her, and the pounding of three other pairs of feet. Two of which were headed Yuffie and her way and the other person trying to cast a spell on Aerith. The voice sounded like Sephiroth's.

Someone knelt beside her and she felt the pressure return to the dagger's hilt. She cried out as whomever started to pull it out of her shoulder. It obviously hurt more than it did, just staying the way it was in her shoulder.

Whoever it was trying to calm her down and prepare her to feel more pain, telling her that it would hurt a little more and don't move as much she could.

Though the words' meanings were slightly jumbled in her state of mind, she could almost get what the person was saying to her.

But understanding didn't help her body's instincts. She thrashed at them and tried to jerk away as the blade was being pulled further out.

Two pairs of arms held onto Kairi's own and forced her as carefully as possible into a more retained position.

She screamed as the blade was lodged out with a sudden swift move, the sharp pain still lacing up and around her punctured arm.

Kairi could feel tears on her cheeks as she began to black out. But now, her sub-conscious state was beginning to take over.

Her legs stood mechanically, as she ignored any physical pain that resided in her wounds. Walking over to Cloud and Sephiroth, Kairi's half-closed eyes stared past them and into Aerith's burning yellow ones.

Her dilated purple orbs, void of emotion continued to look deep into the eyes that stared back at her. Kairi's voice echoed eerily in the room, though her lips were not parted.

It was as though a ghost was speaking for her, "Take your leave from her body, you shadow… I'm warning you this last time. Your last chance – leave this place."

Aerith's voice laughed, "And you would make me, how?"

Kairi kneeled down, eye-level with Aerith. Placing a finger on Aerith's forehead, Kairi's hand glowed an ethereal light.

The older woman opened her mouth and let out a shrill sound that did not sound quite like a human scream. Her eyes faded back to the normal green it once was, before they closed and she collapsed against Cloud.

A shadow moved away from Aerith, towards Yuffie, but Kairi was already onto it. She was floating a few inches above the ground as she held out a hand.

A light surrounded her form and shot forth through her outstretched fingers. The shadow was smothered in it before disappearing completely.

Kairi's eyes slid closed and she fell backwards toward the floor.

Sephiroth gazed coldly at the sleeping girl being tended to on the floor. Who would have thought that she could chase and destroy creatures like shadows, just with her light? Interesting… the powers of a Princess of Heart.

………

………

………


	11. Among the Weeping Hearts

……….

……….

……….

Chapter 11

………

Author: Kintora

……….

……….

……….

A/N: Hi guys! Man, I'm sorry. Long time no update and that's not good, huh? I really apologize for the lack of updates, but you know I'm trying.

I really appreciate your support in your reviews.

Well, onto the story!

……….

……….

……….

Sora awoke quickly when he heard Kairi's painful groan as she finally began to come to. He left his spot against the wall and sat down on the chair beside her bed.

His cold eyes were fixed stiffly on her face as he silently watched Kairi's eyes blink open very slowly.

"Where… am I?" she asked groggily.

"Your room."

Kairi nearly had a heart attack and tried to jump out of her bed, but Sora's arm was out in a flash, holding her down by the chest. She breathed in and out like she'd been running to death in her sleep.

"You shouldn't move too much."

Looking down, she found Sora's forearm where it shouldn't be.

She coughed, and looked away in embarrassment.

Sora also looked down and took his arm back quickly. Both flushed slightly and turned away from each other.

Kairi shifted uncomfortably under the silence. She knew Sora wasn't going to be the first to speak. Heck, she didn't even think she could. Mustering up her courage though, she forced the slight squeak out of her voice, "H-how's Aerith? What happened to her?"

Without looking back at her, Sora answered with a hint of an edge to his tone, "Don't you remember anything?"

"Well, no, not really. Besides the fact that she or whoever it was, tried to kill me before I passed out."

His unwelcoming blue eyes finally turned to bore into hers, "You're saying that you don't even remember destroying that shadow creature?"

"What?"

Had she really done what he said? Did she really banish a shadow? Oh Destiny, her head began to swirl with more thoughts.

Sora ignored her oblivious question and stood up to leave. But she stopped him before he could make it to the door.

"Wait! Where's Aerith? Is she all right? And what about everyone else?"

"They're all fine."

He was just about to take another step when she continued her insistent questions, "Can I see them?"

Sora sighed and opened the door, "When you're better." With that, he shut the door behind him before she could utter another word.

………

Exactly why was he in there if he was going to be slightly hostile with her when she awoke?

He didn't quite know why he was acting all cold and mean to her. The truth was that he was avoiding her before. Sora turned another corner and started down the stairs; just walking aimlessly around the ship.

But why had he been avoiding her? Why didn't he want her "to be with him" like she had said the other night? He didn't quite understand that either.

Was it because of the darkness within him?

Was it because he didn't want to hurt her?

Or was he afraid that her powers would banish him and the darkness within him too?

Shaking his head, he shook with quiet laughter. Him? Afraid? For all he cared, she could go ahead and kill him if she wanted to.

After all, he already lived a cursed life – life that found him and not the other way around.

Sora began to recall somebody's words, _'Grow up and be happy. You can choose what you want to do. Don't forget that.'_ Those words sounded like they came from his mother. Who knew, he still couldn't really remember much of his childhood past.

But those words didn't hold any meaning to him anyway. Whoever heard of growing up and being happy? That bunch of hocus pocus was probably for people besides him.

For all he knew, he grew up as an _assassin_; someone who freaking killed the lives of others. Somebody who had his hands dripping in someone else's blood – too many people died at his hands. There were so many that he couldn't even count them.

It was rather ironic actually.

There hadn't been one person that he actually wanted to kill. And the man that he did want to kill, he could not kill.

Ansem controlled his life. He was forced to do the evil man's bidding, to kill, to… wreck another's life. Especially when the other person already had a life that was probably far more limited than his own.

Hell, when he first met them, they didn't even know what the outside world was like.

Sora groaned inwardly as he marched into his room. He was thinking about her again. Ever since he'd kidnapped her, ever since they made that little "truce" under the moonlight, he couldn't stop. Thinking. About. Her.

………

She was really pathetic wasn't she? Sniffling and practically crying after he left, she hadn't stopped since he walked out the door. Wincing as she managed to bring her better hand to wipe her eyes, she couldn't help but continue to cry.

Kairi had a good idea as to why she felt the way she felt, but it was impossible really. She couldn't possibly.

No. For the way Sora acted towards her ever since she bumped into him last night (was it last night? She didn't know), he acted colder and colder towards her.

Wasn't it obvious that he didn't return any other feelings? He didn't even seem to want to befriend her. At first, she had wanted to help him by being a friend to him, but then…

Her heart just had to. It had to –

"Hey Kai?"

"You okay?"

Kairi snapped out of her thoughts and smiled at her friends, "Hi."

Yuffie and Aerith came in and sat down on the chairs beside her. Kairi tried to sit up too, but she fell back down and grinned sheepishly up at her friends, "I guess I'm still a bit weak aren't I?"

Yuffie smiled. "Yeah. Do you know how worried I was when I heard you screaming your head off? I ended up running around like a headless chicken," she joked.

"Kairi… I'm really sorry about what happened during training. I truly don't know what came over me but I think I passed out in the middle of the fight and woke up after. Gosh, I don't remember being this worried before!"

"Aerith, it's okay. I'm alright, really."

Except she would probably had been better off if Sora wasn't even in her room when she woke up. Kairi turned away and rubbed her hand at her renewing tears again.

"Something the matter, Kairi?" Yuffie asked.

"Ugh. No, there was just something in my eye… that's all."

"Um, Yuffie? Can you get us some water?" Aerith asked.

"No problem!" Yuffie said as she ran out of the room, her footsteps disappearing.

Aerith turned back to Kairi, "You're not all right, are you?"

"No, I'm perfectly fine!" Kairi insisted. She willed herself not to burst into a fit of sobs just then and there. But her suppressing only caused her to begin hiccupping. She shut her eyes tightly, not letting the tears fall.

The chocolate-haired woman placed a delicate hand over Kairi's own. "Kairi just let it out."

Kairi's heart clenched tighter before she finally released her emotions and let her other hand drop, "I w-want it… I want i-it to st-stop… D-did I-----d-do some-th-thing wr-wrong? A-Aerith?"

Aerith gripped Kairi's hand tighter, "You didn't do anything wrong, Kai. I don't know what happened, but don't hold in whatever it is that you're trying to keep bottled up."

Kairi gritted her teeth and did as Aerith said. Her sobs weren't loud at all, but they seemed to continue like a never-ending waterfall, "I d-don't g-get it-it."

Unbeknownst to them, the boy on the floor and room right below them could hear almost everything they said. He turned his head to look out his window.

He watched as the "stars" fly past the ship outside against the hues of deep purple, blues, and blacks, before dozing off into an extremely light sleep.

He hoped it would be one that spared him the sound of soft crying from a certain Princess of Heart.

……….

……….

……….

A/N: Well, there goes Chapter 11! I'm not sure when the next chapter will be coming out, but stay tuned! And yes, there'll be Sora/Kairi fluff in this. Plus the fact that I'll have a surprise hidden for you all to find out!

……….

……….

……….


	12. Fishing in the Bathroom

………

………

………

Chapter 12

………

Author: Kintora

………

………

………

A/N: Thanks to all of you who supported me so far! I really appreciate your comments (besides any character death threats.) Sorry about the long delay, but really. Do I have to say why? I'm busy, period.

But now that Chapter 12 is out, go read!

………

………

………

Kairi had fallen asleep after talking to Aerith and Yuffie for hours the day before. She was tired of talking, of understanding, and of crying. Mentally and physically, she was exhausted.

Never had she had so many problems. Well, problems like these with friendship and foreign emotions were at least very different to way back when.

But sleep couldn't help her relax either. Her dreams were still filled with fear and grief.

………

"_Mommy," Kairi's younger self said, tugging on her mother's sleeve, "Why am I here?"_

_The older woman looked down at her daughter and knelt to see eye to eye with her, "What do you mean?"_

_Kairi thought for a moment, "Like why am I in this place? Why are you in this place? Why is everyone here too?"_

"_Sweetie, we live. We are here to do what we have to do and everyone has something to do in life. But you're here for a very special reason."_

"_Just me?" Kairi asked._

"_There are others like you. Just six of them, honey," her mother smiled._

"_Where? Are they here on this place too?"_

"_Maybe."_

_Kairi grabbed her mom's hand. "Can I go see them? Please? I want to know I'm not alone!"_

_Her mother hugged her gently, "One day you will see them, if Destiny wills it. But just because they are like you, doesn't mean you're alone, Kairi."_

………

_Men were chasing them, a whole mob of them. Angry shouts were heard, but the woman kept running with her child in her arms. The fear gripped both of them as the lights swamped closer and closer._

_The little girl looked at the woman, "Momma, is it my fault?"_

"_No, no, sweetie. It's not your fault. I –"_

_The brushes and ferns were being pushed away, and whoever that were after them were coming towards them quickly! Kairi could see the panic that shone on her younger self's face._

_Her mother turned back to look the little girl straight in the eyes with a faint smile, "Kairi. Remember, I'll always love you no matter what happens to us."_

"_I'll always love you too, Mommy!"_

_The running footsteps and loud voices became clearer than ever before, "There! There they are!!!"_

_Kairi heard a spear thrown and it plunged into her mother's body, "Kai-Kairi!"_

"_Mommy!"_

………

Kairi sat up, the springs of her bed squeaking and left the mattress to bob slightly from suddenly sitting up so fast. Cold sweat lay damp on her pale skin. She shivered involuntarily and drew the sheets closer to her body.

Her hands went to her face; trying to calm herself down. But the dream had been so vivid. The blood and her mother's pain stricken voice wouldn't leave her head.

She could remember the bloody spearhead protruding from her mother's chest, where her physical heart was located. And the thick red wine dripping from her mother's lips –"

Kairi tightened her grip on her covers and squeezed her eyes shut. _'Oh please, just go away!'_ She screamed in her mind at those frightening images, _'Just leave me be!'_

Letting herself fall back, her head hit the pillow. After breathing in deeply a few times, her mind was at peace and she drifted off to sleep again. Even though her heart was still uneasy.

When morning came, Kairi felt the piercing sunlight berate her still closed eyelids. Groaning with slight irritation, she turned her back to the light source and pulled the covers over her head. Wait a second. Daylight? Since when did the sun exist in between worlds? Ah, she didn't care.

"Rise and shine, Kai!"

Clearly, she didn't want Yuffie's presence right about now, "Ugh… go away, Yuffie."

"Come on, Kairi. Time to get up and breathe," Aerith took hold of one of the blanket's edges, guessing where Kairi's face probably was, and pulled, "It must be getting quite stinky and musty in there. Don't you think it's gross to know that you're breathing in the same air that comes out of your morning mouth?"

Kairi barely cracked one violet eye open and re-gripped the edge of her covers before wrapping herself inside like a cocoon.

Aerith pouted, "Fine! If that's the way you want it."

"Hey! I know a way to wake her up! Let's light her mattress on fire, get a hose of water and spray her like crazy! At least this time we'll have a reason to hydro-pump her away…!"

Aerith grabbed the ninja before she could go anywhere near a set of matches, "No Yuffie. We are not following one of your hare-brained ideas again! Do you want to scrub the toilets clean for a month?"

Yuffie scrunched up her face and shook her head viscously.

"Good. Then we'll follow my plan which doesn't include two unauthorized firewomen."

The two put their heads together and began planning. After a few minutes of quiet discussion, their faces revealed identical evil smirks. The plan wasn't exactly evil. Well, not really anyway.

"I have to, uh, get some breakfast! Be right back!" Yuffie said and hurriedly went out the door, making sure to emphasize her footsteps.

"Yeah, okay, Yuff. We'll be waiting!" Aerith answered. She went about the room, pretending to sound busy. After a few moments, the healer looked up at the clock on the wall. It was one minute till due time.

"Hey Kairi, I need to take a shower, okay?"

There was a muffled answer underneath the covers on Kairi's bed before everything fell silent.

"Well, whatever you said," Aerith walked into the washroom connected to their room, "I'm in the bathroom now, okay?" She mentally berated herself, but she could tell that Kairi had paid no heed to her words from the soft rise and drop from under the blankets.

She then shut the door hard, hoping that it was loud enough to hear from the outside of their room. Quickly turning on the showerhead Aerith cracked the bathroom door open just a tad to see the outcome.

As if on queue, there was a knock on the outside door followed by Sora's voice, "Kairi? Are you up yet?"

Kairi felt as if her body had been turned into a hundred watts of electricity as she sprang out of bed like a jack-in-the-box toy. "Uh, I – I'm up! I'll be out in a second!"

Aerith watched her friend speed around the room, grabbing a pair of khakis shorts, a white T-shirt with a picture of an island on it, and some undergarments. Closing the door very quietly, Aerith smiled and giggled quietly to herself, barely able to contain her laughter.

The healer listened to her friend's hurried footsteps around their room and continued to giggle. Her plan was working perfectly…

There were grunts and groans from the redhead as she pulled off her pajamas and changed into casual wear. Once those sounds had subsided, Aerith could hear Kairi growling as she raked a comb quickly through her messy red locks, hoping to tame the morning hair.

Slowly, Aerith peeked open the door by a little bit, letting the steamy water vapor float by above her. She watched as Kairi straightened her clothes and opened their bunking room door.

…

…

…

…

…

…Only to come face to face with Yuffie's bemused face.

Kairi's eyes were a mixture of bafflement and an I'm-going-to-kill sort of look. Her fists clenched as she ground out, "I never knew you were so good at faking other people's voices, Yuff. Was this one of your hare-brained ideas to get me out of bed again?"

The appointed ninja girl began to sweat nervously and looked as if she were backing away from a hungry tigress, "You know… that sounds oddly familiar… haha…"

Kairi retreated to her false sweet look, "Oh yes. I know. How _could_ I forget? I'll be right back."

When she turned around, Aerith squeaked and had abandoned the bathroom door. As Kairi's footsteps neared, Aerith looked through the boiling steamy atmosphere for a hiding space. Suddenly, the younger girl outside along with a sheepish looking ninja stopped right outside.

Kairi's fake angelic voice rang past the door, "Oh Aerith! It's me, Kairi. Would you please open the door for us?"

Time was up and Aerith jumped in the shower, no time for her to change her wear, "Uh-um, I… I'm in the shower! So, I can't come to the door obviously! I'm – naked!" She stuttered uncontrollably, without a chance to rethink her choice of words.

Outside, Kairi just merely rolled her eyes and pushed the unlocked door fully open. The hot steams of water vapor blew past her and her companion's faces cooling the shower room remarkably.

Not seeing Aerith's garments anywhere; Kairi was assured that she was allowed to do what she would do next. Standing beside the pale beige shower curtain, Kairi grabbed the edge and pulled the entire curtain to a side.

Aerith stood there like a deer in headlights, completely soaked to the core and absolutely speechless.

Kairi quirked an eyebrow, knowing she'd won even though she missed her beauty sleep. "Well? What do you have to say for yourself, Aerith?" her smug grin growing, "Care to explain why you're in the shower with a full set of clothes on? Somehow, I don't think this is what you consider being naked."

There was another knock at the door as Aerith turned off the hot water and began to climb out of the shower. As there came a few more knocks, they all looked towards the door.

Then Kairi shook her head and looked at the two others in the room, "I'm guessing you pulled Leon or Cloud into this too."

"No we didn't –"

Yuffie began but Kairi waved her off, "I'm not falling for your bluff. But it seems we still have to take care of the rest of your fellow prankster pals."

The redhead angrily marched over to the door with Aerith and Yuffie watching curiously nearby. Taking hold of the handle, Kairi swung the door open, "Okay! This _isn't_ funny anymore. I know what you're doing, and you're up to no good –!"

"What isn't funny anymore?"

Kairi paused her accusation and actually looked at the face of who was talking. Going completely red from the cheeks to her ears, Kairi gawked and straightened up. She felt as if her face were a lava lamp.

Sora's gaze fell from Kairi, to Yuffie, to one extremely soaked Aerith, and back to Kairi again before he quirked a chestnut brown eyebrow at the girls, "Can I ask what's going on?"

"We, uh, went fishing and Aerith fell in," Yuffie mumbled the first thing that came to mind.

Sora's nearly emotionless face grew even more deadpanned, "Fishing?"

Kairi looked back at the ninja, "What's fishing?"

"We went fishing – for my clothes!" Aerith said quickly.

Sora said patiently, "This is highly unlike you, Aerith. I thought you were better than that."

Kairi looked between them, "Guys, what's fishing? Hello!"

"Well she doesn't have to make sense all the time, does she Sora?" Yuffie retorted on Aerith's behalf.

But Sora just ignored Yuffie, "Aerith, you might want to change your clothes. We've landed for over an hour and your job was to wake Kairi up seven minutes ago. Sephiroth ordered me to tell you all to hurry up and that we're getting off soon."

He turned to leave, but Kairi stopped him, "Wait, are you saying that we've arrived already?"

The boy nodded and walked away down the metal stairs, leaving Kairi feeling more stupid than ever.

………

………

………

A/N: Thanks to all my loyal reviewers! I appreciate your compliments and/or constructive criticisms! I know it's a little late, but Happy Easter anyway.

………

………

………


	13. Illusions of the Past

………

………

………

Chapter 13

……….

Author: Kintora

………

………

………

A/N: Holy cow!!! (Are cows holy? Maybe in India...) I'm so sorry for not posting in such a long time! Many things happened along the way, but I seem to sound like such an excuse-maker, ne? I won't bother with details other than school and computer problems. Anyway, here's Chapter 13!

………

………

………

Kairi looked away from Sora's retreating figure. She felt hurt, but why should she? It was kind of pointless. He was cold and stiff, and notexactly the guy to expect anything from.

She sighed.

Aerith and Yuffie looked at her in a sympathizing way. Finally, Aerith spoke, "Well, I guess we'll just have to do what he said."

They each stumbled across the room in different directions searching for whatever they needed. Yuffie said something about breakfast and dashed off while Aerith struggled out of her heavily sopping clothing. In Kairi's case, she had to jump over Aerith's wet clothes to get to the bathroom for a toothbrush.

Within minutes, Yuffie came back with some food. They sat down and manage to gulp down some cereal before heading down to the lower floors.

Sephiroth frowned at the girls when they came in late, "I would expect you to be more punctual next time. Aerith and Yuffie, I know I appointed you two as the ones in charge for the Princess of Heart."

"We're sorry-----,"Aerith began but was cut off.

"You _will _be sorry if this ever happens again," Kairi couldn't stand having her friends embarrassed any longer. She felt it was her fault for not waking up in the first place after all, "Please, Sephiroth...sir. They were trying to wake me up," Kairi could feel everyone's eyes on her. It was probably the first time they've heard her really speak out, "I just ask for your forgiveness."

Sephiroth was about to say something crude, but Cloud stepped in, "It's okay Kairi. Your apologies are taken." He looked at Sephiroth pointedly as if telling him to shut up.

But the silver-haired man just turned away coldly, "We're going outside. See if you can find anything related to the other princesses here and report back before the sun sets."

The metal doors opened and everyone filed out, their shoes clicking against the titanium. Kairi walked along side her friends and none of them spoke until they were completely away from the vessel and everyone had separated.

Kairi loved the feeling of the sunshine on her pale skin. It had been so long that she couldn't even remember it. The sun made her body feeling war and aglow in a different way than when the moonlight touched her. She closed her eyes as a shiver of delight ran own her spine and grinned contentedly.

Yuffie's voice asked, "So...Where to?"

At first, Kairi thought Yuffie had directed the question to Aerith. But when the brunette didn't answer Kairi felt a few short taps on the shoulder, "Well?" Yuffie asked again.

The younger girl looked confused, "Why are you asking me?" Yuffie tilted her head slightly and giggled, "What'd you think, silly? You were the one who  
lived here!"

Aerith put a hand top her forehead and dragged Yuffie away from Kairi, "You're the one who's being silly, Yuff! For all we know, we may not even be anywhere near where Kairi used to live!" Kairi's eyes glazed over and began recalling memories.

She remembered a flower garden with her mom and her inside it. Kairi looked around instinctively and noticed some familiar surroundings. There seemed to be a wide range of healthy flowers blooming in a specific corner, but they were mostly over come by weeds and other wild flowers. Their dainty aroma wafted toward them and Kairi breathed in the lovely scent. It seemed to be the remains of a garden...

"And second, it's been so long –!" "Aerith? I think I know where we are," Kairi said, saving the harassed looking Yuffie, "You see those flowers? This was once a garden I used to play in when I was little..."

Aerith blinked, slightly embarrassed, "Oh. Well, do you remember anything else?" Kairi didn't respond immediately, "...I think." She started off into the weed garden with Yuffie and Aerith trailing behind her.

The giant masses of flowers and vegetation reached their shoulders as they journeyed further in. Plants brushed against them and Yuffie complained about how she thought there were bugs in her pants. But Kairi seemed almost desperate. It was like she was searching as she continued to stumble about on familiar grounds. 'I must find out more,' she thought to herself.

Once past the garden, there were many trees in the forested area. The sun was burning against their skin, but Kairi made no indication that she was getting hot. She was too absorbed into finding something.

Aerith looked worriedly at the redhead. Kairi didn't seem she was going to stop anytime soon, even for a little break. It was unlike her to not be cautious about her surroundings.

As they went in deeper into the forest, the tall trees shaded them from the sun and the temperature was much cooler, much to Aerith and Yuffie's liking.

Kairi continued to walk quickly. She knew where they were, and she wasn't going to stop until she found it. She was going to find it. There was no mistaking it.

Aerith and Yuffie panted, as they had to run to keep up with the anxious-looking Kairi before them. "Kairi! Please! Slow down!" Aerith called exasperatedly. But there was no need. The mahogany-haired girl had already stopped and was looking down to the forest floor. Aerith and Yuffie were catching up to her, Aerith being the first.

The healer stopped and panted, "Kairi? What's the rush--------?" Her gaze traveled with Kairi's down to ground. Long thin bones protruded from the beneath the earthy soil. Even half a human skull stuck out with one empty eye socket that stared blankly at them.

Aerith felt as though cold fingers were gliding up and down her spine, "Dear Destiny..."

Just then, Yuffie neared and tripped over a large tree root behind the other two girls. "Ow..." She scrambled to her feet however and bounded over, "So what did you find?"

She looked down to what they were staring at and her eyes became twice as wide as standard saucers as she screamed, "I SEE DEAD PEOPLE!"

Suddenly there were sounds of people's running footsteps. Aerith snapped out of her thoughts as she readied into her battle stance with her staff. Yuffie shut up instantly and did the same as she pulled out what appeared to be a giant ninja star, the 'conformer'.

To their relief, it was only Cloud and Leon. "What's the matter? We heard Yuffie screaming her head off in the distance..." Leon trailed off as he and the ever-silent Cloud spotted the skeleton on the ground, "They're just remains, Yuffie. It's probably just someone's grave that's been dug up."

Kairi hadn't moved at all yet until she shook her head at Leon's words. They hurt like knives sinking into her heart. He was wrong. Her mother wasn't just a mere person.

Before she could stop herself, words began murmuring past her lips, "My mother was like an angel... to me... She wasn't just a person. She meant everything... This... This is her grave," Kairi began to choke up and her voice was beginning to get smaller, "This is where she was _killed_!"

Kairi fell to her knees as hot tears rolled down in searing streams. She could taste the salt in them as they slipped into her mouth. Biting her lower lip, she tried to keep in the deafening screams that her very being wanted very much to let out. Her long red bangs covered the upper half ofher face as she continued to cry.

"Mom..."

She could see more memories of her mother now. They were always smiling at her, always cheerful. What had her mother done to deserve to be killed so brutally? What had she done to have her mother taken away like that? Right before her eyes too!

Before anyone could react, Kairi stood up and ran away from them in the opposite direction. She was running away from everything behind her.

She couldn't even see where she was going; she was running too fast. The trees zipped by her and she dodged the few dangling tree limbs. The wind hit her face forcefully, but she felt compelled to keep on running.

But she longed to forget and leave this world. It was sunny and beautiful, but the past had held dark and hurtful events.

Soon, she had left the forest and everyone else so far behind that she couldn't seem hear them any longer. Had she really run that fast? Kairi slowed to a stop and listened for their voices, but she heard no one.

The rushing wind had dried her face of tears and she blinked to moisten her eyes. Looking up, she saw remains of what appeared to be buildings of some sort. Grasses and weeds grew between the old weathered stones, mosses threatened to creep up along the edges, and ivies wrapped their long winding green fingers up the sides.

The image distorted before her eyes and the buildings seemed to burn to fiery ashes. It disappeared and reappeared over and over again like sudden glimpses her past. She could hear and see people running from their homes. She heard them screaming in unbelievable terror. But Kairi heard disgusting laughter and her malice boiled in her very blood.

'It was them – those evil men who killed mother. It was their doings that destroyed my home!' Kairi thought angrily, 'They made all of us suffer!'

Blinded by hatred, she ran through the ruins of the town, when really, she thought she was still in the horrible hallucination of burning flames.

Kairi could see and feel the hazy heat and the fire licking at her. It stung and hurt as she went. But she continued running until she bumped into someone a bit taller than herself.

Looking up, she could see the light of the roaring fires flickering behind the shadowed figure and all around them both. The hazy heat messed up her vision, but in her current state, she assumed the worst, _'It's one of them!'_ Launching herself away, she backed away a step at a time.

Sora had come into the clearing for investigation. The ruins had seemed familiar, but the thought was instantly forgotten when he had collided with Kairi.

But when she glanced at him, he didn't see any recognition in her eyes. In fact, they seemed extremely clouded and infuriated. Before he could say anything, she had pushed herself away from him and backed off.

But she only continued to look at him the same eerie way before speeding off. Sora didn't need to have to think twice before pursuing her. She wasn't supposed to be alone without someone else. Speaking of which, he had no idea where or what happened to Yuffie and Aerith.

Kairi could sense that the figure was chasing her and ran faster through the flames and tried to throw him off her trail. But no matter how fast shewas running, the other was faster.

Soon she was tackled to the ground with someone holding her down. She twisted and fought until she felt her adrenaline leaving and her energy used up from her constant running. Someone was calling for her to wake up. That someone's voice seemed so similar...to his...

………

_The sun shone down against her skin and face as she lay there in the grass. It was peaceful and quiet with only the echoes of bird and the breeze. Everything seemed nice and calm._

_"BOO!!! WAKE UP!!!"_

_She jumped awake and came face to face with bright sky blue eyes, "Ah!" she yelped in surprise before realizing it was just her friend and pouted, "Why do you like doing that so much?!"_

_The boy shrugged, "I think it's funny seeing a girl scream. But you're the funniest! You sounded like a duck!"_

………

………

………

A/N: Hey, sorry about the sudden end in the chapter... I'm a little tired, it's past 12 in the morning. We had guests over so---- yawns I've been busy trying to be a good young host like everybody wanted me to be...

Sometimes I hate these parties. Some people can be such pigs. And I had to clean up whatever the kids or my peers left behind. And that's saying _a lot_. They're like pigs...oh well.

I feel a bit dragging on this story, but my goal is to have more SK moments so their relationship would continue to build. No matter how much I like to write, I find that I need to improve on my romance fictions.

………

………

………


	14. Upon New Discoveries

………

………

………

Chapter 14

………

………

………

Author: Kintora

………

………

………

A/N: Back again! Sorry for the wait! I know that the last chapter was pretty abrupt and I apologize for it's sudden ending.

………

………

………

When Kairi finally came to, the dancing flames had disappeared. Sora loomed above her and gave her a hand. Getting wobbly to her feet she rubbed her head. Her thoughts were a jumbled mix and she was still clearly confused as she mumbled the first name that came to mind, "Sora?"

Sora looked intently into her eyes. They were still a dull blue, but at least she recognized him this time. She wavered a bit on her feet so he put her arm across his shoulders for better support. "What do you think you were doing?"

Kairi's eyes instantly turned back to their original color as she put a hand to her forehead again. "I wasn't thinking what I was doing," she snapped at him. At that moment, she had forgotten what the assassin was capable of doing to her, but somehow, giving a biting remark to him seemed all right to do.

Sora clenched his jaw. He didn't know what was up with her so he simply ignored her comment. "Come on, we'd better leave this place," he muttered, "We need to find the others." Kairi sunk to the ground dragging Sora down a bit. Sora sighed impatiently, "What's your problem?"

"There's no way I'm going back there," Kairi said and added for good measure, "I'm not. And you can't make me. I'm staying here. I'm not going back to the woods."

Sora began to get irritated by her antics. He couldn't leave her here no matter how much he wanted to at this point. Where the heck did the quiet and conservative side of her go?

"You don't have much of an option." With that, he picked her up and slung her onto his shoulder with a tight hold over her legs.

And he sure was glad he did for she started squirming, screaming, and even trying to kick him in her awkward position, "What do you think you're doing?! Let me go _right now_! I mean it before I –!"

"Before you do what, princess? Slap my ass?" he grumbled as he began trudging into the forest to find the other members. Kairi fumed but remained silent letting her arms dangle.

**-SLAP-**

"Damn it, that's it!"

Sora stopped and refrained himself from just dropping her. Instead, he set Kairi roughly on her feet and grabbed her lithe wrists forcefully with one gloved hand as he continued to walk. His face was a humiliating shade scarlet that contrasted greatly with his stormy blue eyes. Kairi dug her heels into the earth and began to tug her hands from his grasp as he pulled her along into the deep mass of trees.

"I'M NOT GOING BACK!"

"YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!"

"_SOMEONE MAKE HIM STOOOOOOOPPPPP!_"

Sora swore he could hear a flock of birds fly away from the taller tree branches around them. His hands twitched and he whirled around at her, "What the heck is wrong with you?!" His keen hearing was still ringing painfully with her shriek and his eyes were now a steel gray with a threatening glint as he stared down at her. Kairi inwardly cowered a bit, but she stood strong, "I don't want to go back."

"Why the hell not?" he asked flatly.

Her eyes flooded a bit with tears as she looked away from him quickly. His look softened very slightly but he still pressed with a tone of coldness, "Well?" Kairi's hands turned this way and that uncomfortably in his single-hand hold on her. Sora let go and continued to look down at her expecting an answer.

Kairi felt as if there was a pressure in his gaze that was close to penetrating her head. She opened her mouth to say something, but there was yelling in the distance.

"Kairi!"

"Kairi where are you?!"

"KAAAAIIIIIRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"

"Yuffie stop yelling so loud, you don't know what's out there."

"Well excuse ME, Squall, but Aerith and I happen to be looking for her! Why don't you and Cloud help us out a bit?"

"That's Leon. And no, I'm not joining your Banshee Club."

Kairi looked at the source of her friends' voices and soon saw Yuffie's head come into view. But the dark-haired ninja girl had her face turned to the side as she argued with Leon. Kairi saw Yuffie huff and turn her head straight again. They locked eyes and Yuffie burst into happy smiles, "Destiny! It's Kairi!" Leon gave Yuffie an odd glance as Yuffie shot forward, but he grinned the tiniest bit. Yup, that's the Yuffie he knew and hopefully would never lose.

Yuffie all but lunged at Kairi and they tumbled to the ground, as Kairi couldn't with stand the older girl's weight and force of the giant hug. "Ow…." Kairi mumbled. "Kairi! We missed you! Where were you?! We promise we won't make go back there, really! Please don't DO that again!!!!!" Just then, Aerith came up to them and grabbed Yuffie by the back of her shirt and pulled her off. Then Aerith herself plopped to her knees as Kairi sat up, "Are you hurt? Oh gosh, we're really sorry, you won't have to go there again if you don't want to, I promise! But where did you go? Were you alone all by yourself?"

Cloud and Leon joined the clearing. Leon just crossed his arms and half listened to Aerith's and Yuffie's babbles and Kairi's one syllable answers. However, Cloud chose to set his serious gaze on Sora and Sora did the same. But really, their looks meant to say, 'I'll explain later.'

The afternoon was soon turning to evening. Cloud had made Leon take the girls back to the ship which the gunblade-wielder only grunted a "whatever" and did as asked. It was just Sora and Cloud wandering about the forest as the sun began to set. It was pretty much certain that Sephiroth wouldn't dare mind, as Cloud was the other man in charge of the mission.

There was an eerie silence between the two before Cloud managed to speak first, "How'd you find Kairi?" There was a pause, "I came across the ruins of… a village. There seemed to have been a fire and I'm sure that's what destroyed the town in the first place years ago. Kairi ran into me, but," his brow furrowed. Cloud looked on questioningly, "But?"

"Her eyes were glazed, as if she was in some kind of violent trance."

"A trance?" Cloud muttered more to himself than to Sora.

Sora continued, "She then ran like a bullet, it was like she angry and scared at the same time. When she came to, she was disoriented and kept saying that she didn't want to go back to the forest." Cloud was impassive, "It's not unusual."

Sora shot Cloud a sharp glance, "What do you mean? I practically had to half carry and drag her to even enter the woods." Cloud crossed his arms and turned away from Sora, "Come with me."

Sora walked behind Cloud as they pushed their way past wild vegetation and watched their footing seeing as the sun was dying and the light was fading for the night to come. Cloud looked around for a moment using his sense of direction and continued on. It was a few minutes until they reached the small clearing.

Sora sensed an ominous but familiar feeling. It felt like a murder scene. A scene that he had been accustomed to as he had been the murderer in every scene he was in and was no doubt going to stop killing any time soon. His keen observation was brought to the skeleton on the ground.

The empty eye socket was looking at them, but Sora felt chilled. It was like it was ONLY staring at him alone. In flash, his eyes seemed to betray him as the skull and the rest of the skeleton became that of a woman. Sora saw her face very clearly. She was a woman with a lovely face and garnet colored hair and brilliant shade of blue eyes. But those eyes stared up at him. A dead blue. They were vacant--- completely blank. And they were wide from seeing death in person. The woman was eerily familiar, but Sora couldn't place his finger on how she was familiar. But he couldn't have known her….

Sora could feel cold sweat run down the side of his face. He closed his eyes as he grit his teeth. His gloved hands tightened into fists. In his stomach he felt a wave of uneasiness. He asked, "Who is it?" Cloud frowned, "Kairi claims that it's her mother."

Sora opened his eyes and knelt down beside the remains and examined the position. Sora observed what remained of the rib cage. He saw fracture marks that that seemed to be dulled cuts but still very noticeable. They were made by weapons that had been plunged from the back and into the body. "She was killed. I'm sure her wounds were made by rough impulsive punctures through the back. Probably by some sort of knife or blades and the like."

Cloud nodded but saw a faint glimmer brimming in one of Sora's eyes. Cloud blinked to make sure he was not seeing some illusion. Sora stood up and the glimmering disappeared as Sora's brow furrowed again.

Sora could hear something. He could hear a child's laughter. Though he had no sure recognition of the sound, he was almost positive that it was his own laughter as a child. But there was another sound. It sounded like a very young girlish giggle.

He closed his eyes in a serious manner as he tried to remember a bit more. Visions flashed. There was the sun, the warm blue sky, a faint breeze, and small meadow surrounded by the woods with hills of rolling greening grass. He remembered a rosy smiling face of a young girl. She woke up and pouted up at him.

Problem was, she wasn't at all that clear. He couldn't remember what color eyes she had. He couldn't even remember what she really looked like. He could only remember the familiar smile, the familiar pout, and the innocence in her laughter. But he wanted to know, and yet he was scared to know.

Who was she?

………

Cloud and Sora made it back to camp by nightfall. Cloud punched in the code to the ship and the metal door opened letting the two in before closing tightly behind. They walked down the narrow halls and into the control room.

They found Sephiroth monitoring around behind the chairs of the men at the controls. Sora found that a bit odd, but before he could think more on the subject, Sephiroth rounded his piercing green eyes to Sora and Cloud, "Where were you two?" Cloud answered, "We were surveying the area for more details. There were a few finds," Cloud watched with emotionless blue eyes at the angry looking Sephiroth, "Is something wrong, Sephiroth?"

Sephiroth glared at Cloud, "Some members are missing. They didn't come back." "Who?" Cloud asked calmly. Sephiroth's glare hardened, "Aerith, Yuffie, and the Princess of Heart."

Sora's heart seemed to skip a beat at the mention of Kairi missing. His mind repeated what Sephiroth had just said, but he still didn't believe his ears. Cloud however, had set his jaw stiffly and squeezed his hands into hard fists. After a second he asked, "Where's Leon?" Sephiroth turned away, "Some of our returning crew members found him injured. He's in the Infirmary. Since our healer is missing, our back-up medical assistants are tending to him."

Sora narrowed his eyes. Whoever had hurt Leon enough to send him into the Infirmary must have been a skilled opponent for Leon was not one to be easily defeated. Sora questioned in a soft but dangerous tone, "Sir, do we have a suspect?"

Sephiroth and Cloud turned their attention to him. Sephiroth spoke, "The wounds that Mr. Leon acquired are from that of a keyblade." Cloud looked coldly at the other man, "You know it can't be him, Sephiroth. Sora was with me the whole time after Aerith, Leon, Yuffie, and Kairi left."

Sephiroth replied just as icily to Cloud without breaking his gaze on Sora, "Of course I know that. But we just recently discovered that another gummi ship other than ours is here too." Sephiroth continued, "That ship belongs to the organization that had acquired the Princess of Heart before us. We believe that they are responsible for the girls' disappearances."

Sora crossed his arms and looked down to the dark floor. He remembered Kairi mentioning a name that night when he had kidnapped her. He looked up at Sephiroth; his usual sky blue eyes a hurricane navy as he let one word escape from his mouth.

"Riku."

……….

………

………

A/N: Done! Chapter 15's next! Coming soon to a computer near you. (No internet, no guarantees. )

……….

………

………


	15. Frozen to the Heart

…………

…………

…………

Chapter 15

…………

…………

…………

Author: Kintora

…………

…………

…………

A/N: Haha! Riku's back! He was absent for, well, pretty much the all the past chapters except the first one. I suppose you'll be seeing more of him from now on.

Carry on, guys. Sorry for the long wait. I had my reasons.

…………

…………

…………

Kairi shuddered as she woke up feeling quite cold. Her body felt frozen and stiff as she moved slightly against the hard surface she was on. Her eyes slowly revealed themselves drowsily as she began to blink away sleep. Her fingers twitched as she felt around her surroundings, her mind still foggy with the remaining cloud of weariness. Her hand inched to the side, trying to grasp an edge to pull herself up.

…Only to meet the smooth coldness of glass.

Kairi's eyes snapped open as she looked around in horror. There was a cold florescent light glowing from the surface underneath her that reflected off the insides of the glass encasement that imprisoned her from where she had been sleeping. Panicking, she brought her hands up a few inches to the glass above her. She watched as her warm breath moved through the cold air in a small misty wisp, condensing onto the glass.

Fear seized her as she began to shove and kick at her tiny glass prison. She screamed to be let out as her heart began to pound faster and faster. It seemed as if it had been very long since she felt so terribly alone. Without the new faces that she became accustomed to, that became the people she could trust and care about, her friends… She felt trapped once more.

Her friends! Where were Yuffie, Aerith, and Leon? She remembered vaguely about a fight. About feeling betrayed…

Riku. He had been fighting her friends.

She screwed her eyes shut as memories began to flood back into her mind. There had been a big fight. Riku, much to her surprise, was fighting against her friends. He seemed to have gotten so powerful that he knocked every one of them down with ease. First Yuffie and Leon, and then Aerith.

He even fought against her.

Needless to say, she fought only half-heartedly. How could she fight Riku for real? He had always protected her and had always been ready to be her only friend that would listen when she had been alone. And suddenly she had to protect herself from him?

Kairi watched as the white light shifted against the glass as she gave it a few more good kicks without any success. Damn-it.

The damn thing didn't have a button or opening control within the small space so she guessed it could only be opened from the outside. She felt around the edges of her coffin-like surrounding. There was only about a foot of cold space between her face to the glass and only about eight inches from her tucked arms to the sides.

She curled a fist and struck the top again before laying stiffly on her back. Her eyes stared past the glass, only to see nothing. It seemed that the lights weren't turned on where she was confined. The only light source was the florescent glow from beneath her.

Her skin prickled from the cold air against the sweaty heat that she had worked herself into. She shivered and moved uncomfortably in her position as she recounted what she remembered.

It had been getting late as the sun began to set and Leon kept telling the girls to get a move on. Just as the light was setting, Yuffie stopped in her tracks and looked around. Her big brown eyes were wide and alert as she glowered at the darkness around her. The rest of them immediately began to fall in cautious stances. The woods were getting too quiet around them. Nothing dared to reveal its presence to the new night.

Kairi didn't know who was first to fall, but suddenly Yuffie whipped out three kunai, too quickly for the untrained eye to see, and threw them right past Kairi's face before the redhead could even registered anything. The bushes moved and suddenly, Yuffie was attacking someone. Leon had joined in and yelled for Aerith to take Kairi back. Aerith just grabbed her hand and dragged Kairi with her.

Kairi had remained silent the whole time, knowing better than to make a sound. But they didn't get too far as a knife was thrown in their direction and missed Aerith's head narrowly when she had ducked away. Aerith gave Kairi a look with her serious green eyes before handing over a knife from one of her boots. She shoved Kairi towards the direction of the gummi ship before falling back a bit to bide Kairi some time.

Kairi heard the impact of metal against metal and tried to assure herself that Aerith was quite capable with her staff in hand. Kairi ran as far as she could, before she heard a sudden scream that echoed painfully throughout the dark forest.

In the forest, everything was still. Though the forest was dark, the sun had not completely set yet and its dying light cast looming shadows from the limping trees. Birds had disappeared and not even a cricket dared to chirp a song. The silence was pressing upon Kairi and every breath she took pained her as her fear built against tension.

Sweat slid from her temple as she tried her best to calm down. She was positive that she had gotten very far from where the fight had taken over and that whoever had attacked was very far behind and would probably go away.

Kairi chose a tree and hid behind it as her eyes glared into the direction she had come from. If she kept moving, she might be heard and the gummi was still quite a distance from where she was. She'd never make it there in time without being able to draw attention. Hiding was her best option, and she was determined to wait things out.

She waited for what seemed like forever. Her fear bit into her heart and ran her blood cold as she wringed her fingers nervously with anticipation. No one seemed to be around and Kairi stepped cautiously away from the tree that sheltered her with its shadow.

Silently making her way in the right direction of the ship, she remained stealth and silent as she moved quickly. For a moment, her demeanor faltered as she thought about her friends. They could very well be dead right now and she could do nothing but do as they had told her, run away. But every time she ran away, things would always be her fault in the end.

She was at fault for everything. It was because of her that her mother died and she could do nothing back then. Even Riku had risked his life to protect hers when her well-being was in danger. And now her new friends were hurt because of her. Because of her, the people she came close to always suffered. Why was she so cursed?

Intense hatred for herself ate away at her heart, weakening it as she stopped to rest. If there was anyone in the world that she should hate, it was herself. It had always been herself. No wonder people loathed her. No wonder because she really did jeopardize everyone, including herself.

Suddenly, there was a cold feeling and then a chilling breeze surrounding her. Tall dark heartlesses began to pull themselves from the earthen ground. Their buttery-yellow eyes stared at her in a hungry fashion as they righted their lanky forms. These heartless were a few heads taller than her and stood like a human except for their inhuman-like features. Antennas were swiveled towards her as they inched closer extending their claws.

Kairi fell into a fighting defense with Aerith's knife in her hand. She really didn't feel like fighting right now. Her limbs shook slightly with fear as her difficultly rounded concentration threatened to shatter as she stared defiantly at the six heartless that had managed to corner her.

The first one came at her from behind and reached for her. But Kairi's new instincts kicked in as she dodge-rolled and struck at its open flank with her knife. If fell back and faltered for an instant before facing her again and lunging a claw at her. She cut at its extended limb as it skimmed her cheek; successfully lopping it's hand off.

Kairi grimaced at what she had done as she backed away from the frenzied writhing creature. Its back hunched and twisted as it stepped towards her, its eyes staring unblinkingly into her own. Another heartless closed in and before Kairi could react, it grabbed her from behind. A long cold arm had wrapped itself securely under her chin, tilting her face and leaving the white flesh of her neck exposed. The other arm pinned her arms to her sides and anchored her a good two feet from the ground.

It squeezed and continued to crane her head as she cried out and squirmed, trying to break away. The other heartless seemed to dance around them as they taunted her. She gripped her hands hard and pushed with all her might against the arm that bound her, wishing she hadn't dropped her blade on the ground.

The heartless didn't really budge and only continued to squeeze and choke the life out of her. She felt a nearing coldness before her chest. She knew it was the heartless that she had taken a chunk at, reaching out for her heart. She struggled harder as she felt her heart beat and strain where it was kept and anchored deep within her body.

And damn it was hurting like hell!

Kairi screamed as she felt the claw begin to sink into her chest, probing for her heart to come within reach of the darkness. Everything froze for a moment for Kairi. She didn't want to surrender yet. No, not when she knew her friends may have still been alive and that there were other people waiting for her too.

She was so not going to die yet, and she was going to make sure of it!

A bright white light stung the greedy invading claw as it yanked away. The heartless holding her dropped its tight hold on her as she fell to the ground. When she looked up again, the heartlesses had backed far away and cowered as she reached for her dagger.

When she stood, she could only double forward as she coughed up some dark blood that stained the pale palm of her hand. The heartless must have broken a rib or two when it was crushing her. Or maybe she was just lucky to be alive after nearly getting her heart ripped out.

The heartless seemed to lose their sudden fear of her when her weakness showed through and began to inch back towards her from where she knelt. She ignored the pain in her chest as she readied into a defensive kneeling position. She gripped the handle of her dagger tighter as they all sprang into the air, diving towards her. She held her weapon up to shield herself for the impact of when they would fall upon her and shut her eyes tightly, her ears ringing.

She remembered a harsh command for the heartless to freeze. When she opened her eyes to see no heartless around her, she looked to see that the heartless were frozen in mid-air, their claws still extended and their buttery eyes glowering down at her from above.

Looking around her more carefully, she had sought out the area for the one responsible for stopping the heartless only to have received the shock of Riku's familiar aquamarine eyes looking at her.

But something wasn't right.

Riku looked cold and unsmiling to see her. And something about him screamed for her to run away for it cried danger. But she couldn't run. How could she run away from a friend?

"…Riku?" She asked hesitantly.

"I found you."

Kairi's eye widened as his feet carried him slowly towards her. She backed away from him until her back hit a tree. He stopped a shortly before her. It was far enough for him to not be touching her, but not far enough for her to escape.

Riku stood a good head taller than her as he always had, but something about him was unfriendly. He wasn't like the friend whose tall presence had promised the sense of safety and protection. This person was someone of another sort to her.

His tall presence here towered over her and seemed to eliminate all her hope with his new, unlocked power. Even his clothes were different for one. They weren't his regular blue muscle shirt and black pants. These were dark with an unforgiving kind of look. Riku was never one to have developed a taste in dressing the way he was now. So what had changed him?

Suddenly, Kairi was angry. What had happened to the Riku she knew? She wanted him back, and she needed answers.

"You're not Riku," Kairi snapped as she gathered her defiance.

Riku laughed into her face and replied sarcastically, "Not Riku? Then who am I?"

"I don't know," Kairi answered truthfully but with an edge to her tone, "But you're definitely not him."

"How can that be when I'm the one and only?" He tilted his head up and stared mockingly down at her, "Perhaps you've missed me so much that your memory failed you."

Kairi clenched her jaw before spitting back at his remark, "You're a conniving person that's what! The Riku I know will _never_ be like you!"

Riku smirked at the distressed girl and stepped closer towards her, intimidating her, "Oh really?"

"Yes, really." Kairi was weary of this new "Riku". She watched as he took another step closer so that they were barely a foot away. He leaned in as she tried to shrink from him, her back pressing hard against bark. His warm minty breath was heavy and light against her cheek as he chuckled sadistically at her false assurance. Just then she remembered her knife in her hands.

She brought the point to his chest as he drew away slightly, his eyes turning cold, "Now you want to fight? Face it, sister. I'm the Riku that has always been." He grinned at her as his beautiful aquamarine eyes looked on at her with a dangerous glint, "Just the remaining fact that I changed a bit. Just for you."

Suddenly, he aimed a punch at her, but she dodged away just in time as his steel knuckles crumbled the tree's bark that had been behind her just seconds before. Soon, they were fighting, within him on the offense as she blocked and parried as well as she could. She was using her full concentration for this, and yet she didn't want to direct an attack at him. If what he said were true, if she hurt him, she'd be hurting the real Riku.

She could never hurt a friend purposefully, whether or not she had a chance at it. His voice taunted her, trying to get her to lose her concentration, trying to get her angry enough so she'd strike him and show her weakness. But she wouldn't let down her will.

He seemed to be done playing games with her though as he struck down on her once more. She brought both hands up to support the dagger from his steel-knuckled gloves above her. Unfortunately, it left her torso open to his free fist. He used her moment of low defense to knock a blow in right below her ribs.

Kairi was knocked back to the ground, dropping her weapon as her hands grabbed her wound. She gasped as her vision began to dot and blur before her. Her eyes widened as she felt an onslaught of pain deep inside her, pooling into the back of her throat and constricting it.

She struggled onto her side and coughed up mouthful after mouthful of blood. She watched as Riku frowned slightly and whispered a spell. Her body began to heal, but before she could regain full consciousness, Riku whispered something else making Kairi's body grow heavy with sleep.

She fought hard against the strong sleep charm, long enough to feel him pick her up in his arms, surprisingly careful with her limp body. Kairi teetered between the realms of her mind as she spoke softly to the Riku carrying her, "Riku will always be a good person." A moment after, her will sapped and she had blacked out.

Kairi opened her eyes again after jogging her memory though the past events. She felt so stupid. Did she really think that the last organization that kept her would really relent from finding her? And it had been very obvious whom they would manipulate to get her back. She felt her eyes grow hot and weary as bright tears slipped from her eyes.

She rubbed them away hastily and stared at her hand where the tears still clung. They were bright like moonstone gems unlike the clear crystalline tears that normal people had. Gritting her teeth she slapped her face, wanting nothing more than to curl up and disappear like she had never been there in the first place. Hugging her arms to herself she couldn't stop the bright tears from escaping her eyes.

She shuddered. Was it her imagination that the air just seemed to keep getting colder and colder? Kairi brought a hand to her eyes and felt the frozen beads of tears on her fingers and gasped. She tried to breath regularly, but the cold frostbitten air wasn't helping any to steady her lungs.

What were the scientists thinking? Were they trying to dry freeze her or something like a frozen fish in a freezer?

Suddenly it clicked. That's what they were going to do, weren't they? Freeze her like some precious specimen that's meant to be kept for an eternity. To be honest, she wasn't quite sure if this procedure would keep her alive but unconscious forever, or kill her.

Her breaths only continued to hitch in her throat as she felt the new tears that pricked and froze on her face. A bitter smile formed difficultly on her cold blue lips. She was never going to find out how her friends were doing. She was never going to see the Riku she wanted to see again. She'll only be left with the last horrible memories of him and the uncertainty of her friends' lives.

And she'll never see Sora again either. Never.

…………

…………

…………

A/N: Well, glad that's over. Took long enough to write!

…………

…………

…………


	16. Swaying of the Will

………

………

………

Chapter 16

………

………

………

Author: Kintora

………

A/N: I'm trying to create a log of responses in my livejournal (available in the link in my Bio). I need a little more working on it before I actually put them up, but I'm trying. :3

Please enjoy this chapter!

………

………

………

Kairi labored up from her position and turned herself over with much difficulty. Her body was shook like a withering leaf in the wind and her blood felt like it couldn't get any slower. Still, her shaking hands didn't betray her as she willed herself. She didn't know if she was going to die, but she sure as hell wouldn't give up now. Never. She was not gong to die as a coward.

She cursed under her breath, the slight frozen breeze lifting the hairs on her arms even higher. She could have sworn that her bones were creaking, and almost screaming for her to just lie down and go to sleep. The thought made her angrier as she stopped to catch her breath.

Someone was always doing the saving. That someone had never been herself. No, she had always been the one who was saved and protected. Even pampered. Never did she have any control over her life. That was the reason why she was so angry. She wasn't furious with Riku for looking after her all this time. She wasn't angry at Sora either.

No, she was angry with herself. She wasn't weak. No human is for everyone was born with something called will. She had never had to use it in a case where she had two choices.

Wait and play damsel in distress. Or fight and live to see another day at her own expense.

She felt a tingling in the back of her mind and an awakening in the pit of her heart. Something stirred that had never stirred before. A certain Warmth spread through her, chasing away the ice that had incased her. There was a primitive beating of an old heart deep in the crevice of her being.

I don't want to die.

I want to fight.

This time, I fight.

This time, I won't be the one to give up.

**Do you know why?** Something asked her.

Because I found a reason.

**What is that reason?**

Me.

Kairi saw white and suddenly, the cold evaporated as the glass that incased her melted away. She lifted her head and sat up completely. The glass had literally melted down along the sides.

She was free!

Feeling the old heart still beating within her, Kairi realized that the Warmth had thawed her whole being. Suddenly, her mind came to attention and she scrambled out and onto the floor underneath her. The only light source came from the coffin-like crypt that she had been put in. Even then, the florescence wasn't enough to light the whole room.

It was cold and forbidding with endless black shrouding each corner. The ceiling gaped at her from above, making her seem small and just a bit helpless in finding another way out.

Kairi dropped her hands to her sides, not daring to move from where she stood. She turned around looking for any sign of an entrance or exit. Slowly, her eyes adjusted to the dark and she crept closer to what appeared to be a faintly outlined object. It was a very big object, just as big as the ice crypt she had occupied moments ago.

The instant she approached, the familiar white florescent light bloomed forth from under the glass case. Inside was a girl.

Kairi stepped back in horror. Another one?

She began to walk towards the other end of the crypt, only to activate the one after. Her feet sped up as she ran along from crypt to crypt, discovering the six crypts beside hers.

All of them were occupied with girls. Though she couldn't see their faces. Their shadows were distorted underneath the fogged glass. She could barely imagine that she could have ended up like them.

Were they still… alive?

Kairi felt a lump in her throat, making it hard to swallow. She moved away and stood in the shadows.

Six. There were only six.

…And seven Princesses of Heart.

If she left now and managed to escape, their plans would be foiled without her. But how could she leave these people? She certainly couldn't save them all on her own. She imagined a picture in her head with her carrying all six girls only to collapse. She shook her head. That was impossible no matter how much she wanted to.

Even then, if she did save them, she couldn't bring them to Cloud and the others.

After all, the organization that Sora worked for was no different than this one.

Sora was still the bad guy.

Kairi gave it a thought. She couldn't really say that since she saw something in him. He wasn't bad. Just… Not on the same side as her.

The old heart was beating in her again as the certain Warmth came back to fill her bones. She had to help the other Princesses first. They couldn't just stay here.

The primitive beating resounded once more and the Warmth spread like a fever in the room. Glass was heard cracking and melting and the sound of mixed breathing touched the silence.

For the longest time, Kairi felt as if she were herself and somehow not. It was as if she was in the deepest core of herself and something else; so familiar and yet not. There was a joining of hands into a circle of light, her hands brushing other hands. Then a letting go commenced and Kairi felt her heart lighten and pulse within her.

She was… disappearing into a bath of Warmth.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Kairi's bright eyes opened up and the light re-submerged somewhere else, taking all the other girls with it. The Warmth still beat in her chest, but she was alone in the dark and cold room, with a dark and velvety voice.

"What did you do?"

Kairi let her hands fall to her sides as she turned around, still not feeling quite as normal, "Riku."

Riku cold eyes stared back at her before he moved in the moment's eye. Before Kairi could even blink, he was behind her with the blade of his keyblade pressed to her neck. It was a keyblade that Kairi didn't recognize. It wasn't the Oblivion that's for sure.

"Riku," Kairi said quietly.

"You'll pay for what you've done." Riku pressed the sharp blade ever closer as he spoke into her ear, "You'll regret it."

Kairi breathed deeply, not caring about the blade cutting into her neck and drawing blood. Riku was forced to pull the keyblade slightly away from her in fear of actually slitting her throat. He froze when she leaned lightly into him, "Riku."

"So you've finally realized who I am."

Kairi didn't take her eyes away from the darkness, "Yes. Who you still are." She turned around to face him suddenly with one hand over her neck wound. She looked up at him and saw him staring down at her coldly with those aquamarine eyes of his. Dropping her arms but wounding them around him, she held him in her warm embrace, "And now I realize what sort change you were forced to undergo."

Despite himself, Riku began to feel light and less aware. His weapon lowered and his legs began to weaken.

Kairi brought him down to the floor with her, never letting him go. She kept him close to her heart, his cold face resting on her shoulder. "I will have the strength to save you Riku. Please wait for me."

"Kairi."

"Yes?"

"Promise…"

Kairi smiled against his cheek, "I promise."

Riku stilled, but his even breathing assured that he was only temporarily out. Kairi felt a sorrow ache in her. She was about to face one of those challenges that never showed its true face until the last moment fell from the hourglass. Her arms shook with effort as she hugged her friend as close as possible, knowing she had to leave soon. For a while, she only sat and pulled him close, not willing to let go. Finally moving away, she held his relaxed face in her hands and pressed a kiss onto his forehead.

"I'll save you soon, Riku."

Kairi found her way out in the many branching halls. She wasn't sure where she was, but she wanted out. Now both organizations had their plans foiled now that the other six princesses had disappeared again. Hell, even Kairi had no idea where they went. All she knew is that she had to stick around and keep her promises.

Still, this creeping around business wasn't really her thing.

Occasionally, Kairi would hear voices and people in dark coats would approach. In her mind, Kairi wondered who they were. She had never seen them before. Maybe they had always been there, but she just didn't know. She had never known anything outside the white wards that she practically lived in.

Once she was sure that they couldn't see her in the shadows, Kairi moved on, easily becoming one with the shadows in the halls.

…

Her heart pounded in her chest as she wandered aimlessly in the shadows. Just where did she think she was going?

Out.

That's right.

But where was out?

Where else was she going?

To find her friends – Now that was the real challenge.

If only she knew where to go….

Kairi sat down in a corner between two twenty-foot and ghoulish statues. The halls looked like a dungeon hall with and endless ceiling! Honestly! As if a little interior decorating would kill.

The candlelight flickered from the holsters along the walls creating long and scary shadows. Somewhere, Kairi heard echoes from an unknown source and it smelled weird. She shivered. Great. Way to go Kai.

'…_Kairi!'_

'_Kairi!!!'_

_The redhead looked up with wide eyes and clamped her teeth together. Was she imagining voices now? _

'_Kairi!'_

'_Kairi!'_

'_Help! Hey!'_

_It couldn't be just her imagination right? But why so quiet? She stood up and was about to head off to find the source when the voices came again._

'_Not there!' _

'_UP!'_

'_Up!!!'_

'_Pst, up!'_

Kairi was bewildered but looked up anyway. At first, she couldn't see anything but something rattled and she thought she saw two figures hanging from above. She would have thought her eyes were betraying her if it weren't for Aerith's long shiny brown hair that caught the faint candlelight.

"Oh jeez," Kairi mumbled. Yuffie and Aerith each hung on separate statues.

Yuffie leaned as far as she could from the restraining chains and spoke so quietly that Kairi didn't know if she was mouthing or speaking at first. "Get us down! Quick!"

Kairi swallowed her parched response and looked for a place to climb. She wasn't exactly a heights person as she realized when she was a few feet up and looking down. Her hands felt sweaty and she breathed sharply noticing the distance from her to the floor.

Yuffie leaned further even more. "Don't look down or else you won't be able to concentrate," she warned.

Kairi jerked her head back up and despite her nervousness, she steeled herself and continued up. Aerith looked worriedly at the redhead and almost screamed when Kairi's foot slipped a little.

"You're almost there, Kai," Yuffie's nearing voice assured her.

Kairi's brow felt damp as she continued her rise up, trying hard not to imagine what she'd look like if she did fall. She saw Yuffie looking at her, her brown eyes wide and face pale. "Come on, Kairi, you can do it!"

Just as Yuffie said that, Kairi's hand slipped and she lost her balance and felt air.

"No! Kairi!" Aerith's strangled call cried out.

Yuffie looked rather blue as if the air had been squished out of her. Which was technically true with her torso straining against the chains.

"God, Kairi! I didn't know you weighed a ton!"

Kairi's eyes opened and she almost screamed seeing nothing under her feet. Looking up frantically, she found that Yuffie had somehow caught her around the middle with her legs. Kairi flushed an embarrassing shade of red and her voice shook, "I-I'm sorry, Y-Yuffie."

Aerith whispered from where she hung, "Yuffie! Swing her to your right! And Kairi! See that ledge? Grab it when she lets go! You can inchworm your way back to Yuffie from there!"

Yuffie choked as she squeezed Kairi's middle and swung carefully to her right a few times. Kairi couldn't help but feel a little blue herself.

But Kairi saw the ledge that Aerith was talking about and prepared herself.

"On a count of three!" Yuffie said heavily, "One. Two – _Three_!"

Kairi felt air again but latched onto the ledge with all her might and clung there tediously. "You all right?" Aerith asked after a moment. The redhead just gave a stiff nod, body still rigid as stone.

"Come on Kai!" Yuffie said again.

Kairi did as she was told and inch-wormed her way to the ninja-girl, "Now what?"

Yuffie gave her a blank look before her head fell back against the stone, "We're doomed."

Aerith snapped, "Not yet!"

Both girls look at her. She continued, "There could be a weak link, you know?" Yuffie and Kairi stared at her dumbly. "Oh come on!" Aerith hissed, "Yuffie, you've got some kind of hidden tool, right?"

Yuffie beamed, "Yeah! Kairi! My shoes!"

"Do I have to take them off?" Kairi asked.

"No," Yuffie suppressed a laugh, "It's there, they didn't take it. It's a small knife in the padding. Can you get it?"

Kairi reached down and fumbled her clammy hands against the padding before pulling out a small camping knife. Yuffie nodded energetically causing the chains to groan. The ninja girl having been trained as a ninja, heard a weak link, "There's one right next to my head. It might be a bit rusty."

"I see it," Kairi mumbled as she began to carve at the metal. It made an awful sound, but the link crumbled as Kairi loosened the rust from various angles. Yuffie felt the whole chain loosen around her and she grabbed onto the stone underneath her. Kairi handed back her knife and Yuffie put it away.

"Can you stomach a drop, Kairi?"

"I guess…"

"'Right then!" Yuffie plucked Kairi off the statue and jumped down the twenty feet. Kairi felt her insides flop as if she had left a part of herself above her as she fell with Yuffie. But the ninja controlled the landing and Kairi's shaking feet met the ground soundly.

'Yuffie!' Aerith called from above.

Yuffie sighed and gave two great leaps before she'd already scaled the statue. Making quick work of the chains, Aerith and Yuffie both dropped gracefully down.

The three hugged briefly before Kairi pulled away, "We need to get out of here."

Aerith asked, "Any idea where we are?"

Kairi shook her head sadly.

Yuffie hit a fist against her palm lightly, "That's right. I remember feigning sleep for a bit of the way in. It's kind of hard to recall… but…"

"But what?" Kairi probed her.

"But… I think I could have been dreaming," Yuffie finished lamely.

Aerith slapped a hand to her forehead, "You _think_?"

Yuffie pouted, "That's what I said!"

Kairi was about to open her mouth and say something when footsteps approached and the girls found small crevices of shadow to hide in. They watched with careful eyes as two people stopped in the hall, somewhere farther down. They weren't wearing the black coats that Kairi saw earlier, but rather the familiar white lab coats.

They began to speak quietly together and Kairi had to listen hard to catch some of their words.

"You think it wise…. Organization XIII…?"

"It's all… got. But…."

"… Heart."

"That's… they want?"

"I don't know…"

"What use would… Kill the Princesses?"

"That's right… – kill."

………

………

………

A/N: Oh, cliffhanger. ;) I'll have to get back to you guys some other time. I think this is enough for now.

………

………

………


	17. The Silhouetted Someone

………

………

………

Chapter 17

………

………

………

Author: Kintora

………

**A/N:** Heya readers!

I know this story isn't near finishing, but I did want to give everyone a big thank you for supporting my story so far. :) It makes writing under pressure so much better. Also, it kindles a nice warmth in my heart when I know what's appreciated.

Please continue reading my work! I really owe you guys.

By the way, please read the author's note at the end. I have something to tell you all.

………

* * *

………

For a moment, the three of them said nothing, just staying close to the pitch-black shadows along the stony walls. Aerith look perturbed by the new information and Yuffie cast a nervous glance at Kairi's silent form. Softly, Aerith and Yuffie discussed an escape plan using the little memory Yuffie recovered. It was the best that they had. Kairi kept to herself throughout the quick discussion.

So the heartless organization wanted her to die then? Every princess was to die too, weren't they? Wasn't that what the ice crypts were for? Kairi felt her eyes sting just thinking about what could have happened had she not spontaneously created a miracle for the other six princesses. But even so, their deaths were inevitable, right? Her red brow creased in frustration, cursing her being. She hated who she was – **what** she was.

Oh, did she ever hate herself even if it wasn't any of her own fault.

Aerith and Yuffie must have sensed her distress. Yuffie suddenly clasped Kairi to her into a tight hug, her hands rubbing fervently over the freezing flesh of Kairi's arms, "Hey, you know we'd never let those geeky lab rats hurt you!" She patted reassuringly against Kairi's white T-shirted back. Aerith also offered a gentle smile for Kairi as the tall brunette lifted a hand and touched Kairi's burning cheek in a motherly fashion. Feeling extremely touched for the first time, Kairi closed her eyes and hugged Yuffie back.

Almost too soon, Kairi pulled away grabbing onto her bearings as much as she could, rubbing her tear-stained face with a reddening force. Sometimes, she really disliked how much of a crybaby she could be. She needed to work on her emotional impulses it seemed.

Aerith grabbed one of Kairi's hands in a cool, but firm grip as the three of them snuck down the unpleasant corridors with Yuffie in the lead. They managed to avoid people spotting them, as the place was huge. What worried them was whether the bastion was wired – whether they were walking headfirst into a trap. Straining all their senses in the eerily quiet HQ, the three girls snuck stealthily like quicksilver through the shadows.

It seemed that Yuffie did have good memory after all. The new corridor they turned into was flooded with a strange yellow moonlight. Though Kairi had only seen moonlight once, Kairi could feel something strange about the glow. She didn't want to touch it. Something felt like it was calling her and she had to resist getting pulled by it. Whatever it was.

Yuffie had stopped short though, flattening herself against the wall. Kairi and Aerith followed suit and waited with baited breaths as Yuffie keenly surveyed the area with her keen senses. Her brown eyes were narrowed into concentration and the black-haired ninja kept turning her head this way and that, bobbing forward slightly and moving slowly back. It wasn't the first time that Kairi had seen Yuffie serious, but this almost seemed completely out of character for her. She had to keep reminding herself that Yuffie's hyper disposition gave nothing away about her ninja arts.

Suddenly, Yuffie tensed and stayed completely still – molding herself completely into the picture of the hall. Aerith stiffened moments later and Kairi could feel the cold sweat on her friend's palm. Kairi squeezed Aerith's hand and Aerith squeezed back.

She hoped it was a sign that everything would be all right. Right now, she just felt ready to drop from fatigue or stress – she wasn't sure. Her head was pounding, the blood rushing past her ears almost blotted out the rest of her hearing. She had been shivering almost non-stop since she left Riku behind and couldn't help but think she was also coming down with something, though the adrenaline rush of her fears kept her as alert as squirrel.

Yuffie leaned ever so slightly towards Kairi and Aerith and spoke so softly that Kairi could've sworn that it was only a silent breeze from somewhere in the hall, "They know we've escaped. I knew it would be too easy."

"Do you think they know we're here?" Aerith asked just as silently.

Yuffie didn't move her head, as she replied, "Probably not in particular. We could be anywhere to them. But no doubt they're securing all exits and entrances."

"Where now?" Aerith muttered, "Do you remember beyond here?"

"I…" Yuffie began, though her brow remained furrowed.

Kairi felt the chills suddenly, before a placating warmth bubbled in her body, similarly to the warmth that cradled her against the ice crypt. An image of a stone platform appeared in her mind. It was round, almost like a floating dock except that it was connected to a building. She felt drawn to the light, almost as if she could float towards the source if she really put her will into it. The moonlight flooded yellow across the rough stone ground as dust and wind picked up. But something large in shape and size was docking by the edge. The yellow light was disappearing. A silhouetted someone was reaching out a hand.

It was as if Kairi knew where to go. They just had to make it down the corridor and aim for a door tucked away in a corner at the very end of the hall. Nervously, she turned to look between Aerith and Yuffie. The two seemed to have noticed her sudden excitement. Quietly, Kairi explained the details of the possible escape route. Having nothing else to follow by, the three agreed to her plan, reluctantly trusting that a door would be at the end of the hall.

Yuffie spoke, "But how are we going to get a lift? If it's a docking area, we're screwed unless there are some gummi---." Before she could finish, the alarms seemed to be going off. Words blared in hidden speakers along the endless walls, and many, many footsteps were heard drumming down the halls towards their corridor.

Before Kairi even had a mind to run, Yuffie and Aerith had already grabbed her wrists pulling her swiftly down the yellow-flooded hall, her feet barely touching the floor. Kairi squinted against the wind and speed they were traveling at, making twenty yards in just a couple well-sprung leaps by her companions. The corridor was long, but they made it to the trap door that Kairi saw just as the feet rounded the corner and shouts were heard as a rampage followed.

Kairi shoved the door open and her friends followed her out. Running into the middle of the large docking area, Kairi, Aerith, and Yuffie looked around, but were surrounded in a crescent line of soldiers cornering them from behind.

Kairi looked behind her, realizing that they were getting backed up to the open drop behind them. Yuffie and Aerith stood before her, both on the defensive with a very protective air about the way they held their ready stances.

Inside, Kairi's heart seemed to slow, and she felt lifted – the warmth flooding her body again chasing the hot and cold temporarily away. She could… float if she wanted to. It was such a light feeling. Kairi shuddered at the pleasure from it, a light wind picking up the back tendrils of her long red hair. She turned to face the open drop, facing the source of the yellow moonlight. What she saw made her jaw drop.

There hanging directly above, still a distance away, was a giant glowing orange-yellow heart. _Kingdom Hearts_ seemed to strum softly in wispy words within her head. _Kingdom Hearts_ she kept hearing, kept feeling, _Return to Kingdom Hearts_.

"Kairi!" Yuffie and Aerith's voices broke her thoughts. She turned to look behind her only to see no one. It was then that their voices seemed to be coming from below her.

Low and behold, she was almost ten feet up from solid ground. A few soldiers seemed to be gawking in the front line, but otherwise maintained their formation in moving closer. Not unlike her vision earlier, dust and wind picked up snapping Kairi dully back into awareness. The sound of an engine was almost deafening as something huge blocked the yellow moonbeams in a massive shadow.

Kairi thought she heard her name being called. Straining her ears, she located two black figures half-silhouetted against the golden heart of the enormous moon in the sky. One was hunched a little lower in stance, while the other was holding still by the door between them. The one by the door held out a hand – just like what she saw before.

"Kairi!" The words were nearly swallowed in the wind. Without really realizing it, Kairi had stretched out her hand to the hand reaching for hers. But her level in the air seemed to shift dangerously. She fought to control the temporary power she held, but it seemed the more aware of it she became, the less she could use it. In this case, she felt as if she would drop down the ten feet at any given moment.

She shouted the first word that came to her frozen mind, "Sora! Sora!"

Reaching with all her might, she used the last of what she had in her to lunge for the hand. The hand in return grabbed her swiftly by the wrist and pulled her up like she weighed nothing. She fell against something - someone, but at the moment, she thought of Yuffie and Aerith still stranded on the platform.

Kairi strained to see past the ledge, but whomever she fell against held her against her will as she yelled for her two friends. But just then she saw Yuffie and Aerith airborne right before they landed on the small ledge in front of her. Both seemed exhausted and dodge rolled forwards just as gun beams were fired, bouncing and splintering blue and red sparks against the ship's side armor.

Before Kairi could even blink, she was swept soundly past the door with Yuffie, Aerith, and the hunched man last bolting the heavy door. The latch was swung shut, mechanisms inside the door locking it up securely. The ship tilted and everyone grabbed the wall of support as the gummi tilted dangerously. Kairi held the person holding her in a death grip. Any normal person would have complained about dying from suffocation, but he only grunted and held her securely at the waist as her body pressed against his stable musculature.

Kairi felt as if the ship was doing a 1080, though her logical mind seriously doubted that. It felt as if hours went by before anybody dared to let go of the wall. Realizing she had her eyes screwed shut, Kairi cautiously opened them again, finding her face pressed against someone's warm shoulder. A black jacket over a blue shirt. A masculine scent. Not just any scent though – it was…

Sky blue eyes met hers evenly. They seemed cold on the surface, but for some reason, Kairi detected in his face that he was worried – whether it was the slight furrowing of his brow or the tight grimness at a corner of his taut mouth. His spiky brown hair still fell the same way across his forehead, slightly into the way of her eyes, the rest framing his face in soft, tawny textures. Hard lips were pressed into a grim line as his striking sky blue eyes bore into hers without wavering.

"Sora," the words fell from Kairi's mouth before she could control them. But right now, she could only half-heartedly care. For some reason, when she was with him, he made her feel… stable – safe. She liked that feeling even if he didn't realize it. A bubble of relief spilled over her shoulders as she relaxed into him again, her head tucking back under his stiff chin. To her surprise, he didn't pull away. Instead, he shifted his hold to better support her around the middle.

"Are you hurt?" he asked quietly almost warmly, his smooth jaw line passing lightly against the shell of her ear. Kairi suppressed a shiver, managing to shake her head almost jerkily. Thinking back to what could have happened in her icy doom, she had to suppress the sick gut feeling still unsettling in her stomach.

No, she didn't want to die – not like when she was caged up like some toxic experiment. Since then, she'd come a long way now that paths were changing and her life took upon itself a newer meaning. But with death at her doorstep just a while ago, she couldn't help but suddenly fear it. The thought made her head spin.

Sora must have noticed her shaken behavior, but he didn't choose then to comment on it. Instead, his voice lost the warmth again when he spoke. Mentally, Kairi thanked whatever watched over them that he wasn't speaking to her. In a serious business tone, Sora directed a question towards Yuffie and Aerith, "You'll be reporting to Strife once you've recuperated yourselves. Keep in mind – no more than two hours."

Everyone just nodded tiredly. Even Yuffie didn't have the energy to spare for an argument to spar against him like she normally would have. But Aerith asked an important question, "What about Kairi?"

"What about her?" Sora asked tonelessly letting his arms fall away from Kairi's narrow waist. Kairi wondered what happened all of a sudden, but let go of him as well. Though she was only two inches away from him, she felt a little at lost, feeling suddenly light-years away – some part of her stung from his impersonal referral about her. What was she expecting anyway?

Yuffie sighed, exasperated as if she knew Sora was playing dumb, "Kairi's definitely seen more than we have – considering the fact that she took on a little prison escapade to save our necks," the ninja winked, "This little girl risked falling twenty-feet to free us. Impressive, ne?" Yuffie put a hand around the slightly bent man – whom Kairi realized in surprise was actually Leon. He looked a little haggard compared to his normal handsome face with faint shadows under his eyes like he had forgotten how to sleep. Leon stared back at her – sadly, in disbelief.

Kairi didn't even want to guess at Sora's expression. They probably all thought she was weak. It didn't matter. She just wanted to crash.

And why was the narrow hall so cold? Her hands felt like ice and heat had been creeping up to her head for who knows how long already. But just then the ship lurched, probably avoiding a random meteor. Either way, Kairi was loosing her balance and fell forward against the other wall. God, she felt so dizzy and her head was boiling. Come to think of it, the cold wall felt comforting against the side of her face. She could probably fall asleep right now, sinking slowly to her knees. If it weren't for Yuffie and Aerith pulled her away from her current position anyway.

"Kairi! Snap out of it!" Yuffie snapped her fingers in front of Kairi's flushed face. It only caused Kairi's head to slump forward, "Hey what's going on?"

Aerith reached over to touch Kairi's neck and forehead. She frowned, her voice unhappy, "She's falling sick. Something must have happened that we weren't aware of."

Leon stooped closer as well and asked, "But what? Was she poisoned?"

"Now why would they do that?" a new voice offered. Everyone surrounding Kairi turned their heads to see Cloud Strife standing by looking down at the feverish girl, "They need her."

"But we heard something to account for that suspicion," Aerith countered calmly trying to keep Kairi on her feet. Aerith's worried green eyes looked back down onto the crown of Kairi's head from where it was still drooped like a broken poppy, "But right now, I think we need to get her into a bed and have an ice pack prepared. I'll diagnose her immediately."

Sora moved agilely between Yuffie and Aerith, lifting Kairi's lightweight up easily in his arms, surprising them all. Kairi could only wonder what her temperature was now. But she mentally thanked not having to walk or run or climb up any more solid structures for the time being. Sora silently turned the corner and headed up the stairs for the bunking rooms with the others close behind.

Kairi could feel her body small and limp, cradled against him. The adrenaline was drained from all her muscles, and she probably couldn't even speak coherently if she wanted to. But an odd feeling sprang from inside – the feeling that instilled a kind of safety net for her. It made her head turn subconsciously to his shoulder as she began to shiver more violently. She didn't know what Sora's reaction was to her unfamiliar actions – maybe he didn't even have a reaction for all she knew – but she hoped he wouldn't push her away.

The door opened and Sora strode in, shifting an arm to turn on the lights only pausing for a moment. Kairi felt her burning cold body lowered onto a blanketed surface – most likely a bed. But she couldn't stay down. Somewhere in her mind, she felt that if she lay down, she wouldn't be able to get back up because an impenetrable glass crypt would hover over her face, letting the cold air freeze her body dry. She tried to sit up, her mind in panic mode, her violet eyes wide.

Aerith was the first to come in after them and was trying to settle Kairi down again when the younger girl's sudden movement caught her off guard. Kairi pushed Aerith's comforting arms away and moved her back to the wall, sitting straight up. She gripped the sides of her own cold arms until they hurt and glared heatedly at Aerith though the brunette hadn't meant to harm her. The rational part of Kairi seemed to not be responding, or else she would have reasoned that she was acting impulsively like a little child.

Everyone looked at each other wondering what Kairi was doing. Cloud and Leon narrowed their eyes in thought, their minds instantly connecting various causes. Yuffie looked baffled and looked like she wanted to approach her stiff friend, but chose not to. Aerith was gauging Kairi gently with her earthy green eyes, but Sora just watched her blankly. He said nothing like the rest of them, but Kairi wasn't really paying attention to him at the moment.

Seeing as she wasn't about to lie down again, Aerith just smiled calmly, "It's okay. You can stay sitting up, but I you won't mind me poking around for a temperature, right?" Aerith reach out a hand without hesitation and Kairi didn't pull away. Aerith's cool hand felt like ice and fire against her skin, but Kairi felt only numbed by it. Calmly again, Aerith asked in a gentle voice, "Can you count backwards from 100 in 9's?"

Kairi struggled to jog her thoughts and she asked shakily, "Why?"

Aerith grinned, "Think of it as a game as I get your temperature."

At this point, Kairi was having trouble focusing on just Aerith. Her eyebrows crashed together as she began to perspire. "100, 91…" Kairi muttered and stumbled, her mind feeling like static and water, "Eighty… God, I don't know," Kairi gave up, "I d-don't really know."

"Hm," Aerith frowned taking her temperature and feeling her pulse, "I can feel the pulse in your wrist. You might just have a regular fever. Why don't you lie down and…"

"No." Kairi grit her teeth, "I can't."

Cloud looked like he was ready to interrogate her right then and there, but with a sixth sense like no other, Aerith turned around swiftly and sent him a glare that stunted any questions from leaving his mouth. She swiveled back to Kairi and gave the girl a comforting rub against her shoulder. She also grabbed an extra blanket from the foot of the bed and cocooned Kairi's upright form, "Well just in case you tire, just lie down, okay?"

Finding no danger from her words, Kairi nodded slightly. Yuffie seemed to appear in the room again with an icepack, thought Kairi couldn't remember seeing her leaving in the first place. The ninja's cheerful laugh hurt Kairi's head, "I found it!" Aerith took the icepack and held it to Kairi's head, making her hold it there herself, "We'll ask more questions later, all right? You just stay cool. If cure magic worked on illnesses like simple fevers, I'd cure you this instant. But that doesn't work in this case; so don't try to strain yourself. If you need something, we'll be here to help."

Aerith stood up and shooed everyone out of the room dimming the lights as she shut the door behind her. Kairi could hear light conversation outside before they all disappeared. In her mind, she gave a silent sigh of appreciation. Her head really burned. It felt like no other fever that she ever went through. She couldn't explain it, but the room kept varying from burning hot to freezing in a matter of moments till she wasn't sure which extreme she was feeling. She settled on too hot and decided that changing would do.

Climbing very sluggishly out of bed, the blanket pooling to the ground by her shaking feet, Kairi fumbled over to the small dresser. She didn't recognize the contents – so she was definitely not it her own room. But at the moment, she really didn't want to stay in her t-shirt and pants. Pulling out what looked like a pale wife beater and flannel shorts, Kairi stopped abruptly leaving the drawer ajar, dropping the contents back in. Suddenly, she didn't want to change anymore. She was so cold. Too cold again.

The lighting was very poor what with the light turned off and the only visible light coming from the dimmed corridor. Kairi could only see the coldness of the dark polished floor beneath her feet. She looked down, rocking unsteadily on the soles of her feet. Her reflection glared coldly back up at her. It was coming closer, closer, and closer… Until her face was pressed against her face.

Her shuddering breaths fanned out against the glassy ground as Kairi's body was thrown into a trembling fit. She groaned, wishing she could get up. But it was becoming too frighteningly cold again. Curled up weakly and small. The heat was shrinking from her.

And Kairi panicked, but her throat seized and she couldn't cry out for anybody. No Aerith. No Yuffie. No… Sora.

She could be hallucinating, but Kairi swore she was back in the ice crypt – locked up and freezing to death again.

Aerith, someone, help me… Kairi thought blurrily in her mind.

………

* * *

………

**A/N:** I hear from people that the characters are rather OOC. In case you're wondering if I did that by accident or on purpose: it's sort of both. The plot itself already promised a twist, and the different characters' roles also played with or against each other. Now that we're around half way through, you guys have probably noticed changes that aren't quite understood just yet.

I want to give a little insight on the people you're reading about in here.

I'm sure you all noticed how Sora's definitely not straight out of the game here. To tell you all the truth, I like his smiling character and easy-going ness, but that was hard to mold here. So that's why he's the way he is in my story now. At first, I was seriously considering to make him into a smiling killer; someone like Tenken no Soujiro from Rurouni Kenshin. But that'd just creep some people out I think, even me. Not only that, but after toying the idea in my head a bit more, I couldn't make that Sora work into the ending that I want.

Just insight. XP Yours to keep if you were interested.

**_IMPORTANT:_** Please read this! Don't send my funny additions to me anymore. Yes, a lot of you came up with some good ones, but others kind of got out of hand. I don't want to make the characters look degraded, even if it is just for a crack. I just don't want to obscure their roles. This isn't entirely a comical piece, so too much character abuse ruins the image that I'm trying to set up. I take the fault in even attempting a funny addition section – so don't take offense. With that said, I'm just going to make up a Question at the ends of future chapters. (Like in _Too Far over the Edge_). It's just way more appropriate.

Maybe another time folks. Sorry about that.

………

………

………

**Question of the Chapter:**

Say you were stuck on the moon with only some wooden planks, a stick, nails, a hotdog, and a bucket of liquid nitrogen. What would you do to survive?

**My Answer:**

I'd tell you folks, but I want to hear what you guys answer it. :P That's whole point in asking this.

………

………

………


	18. Of Hypothermic Reactions

………

………

………

Chapter 18

………

………

………

Author: Kintora

………

**A/N:** I know updates are few and far in between, so I hope you guys are still keeping up. Anyhow, I still want to write when I get the inspiration, so let me go at my own pace. Only then will I be able to finish my stories the way they should.

I also want to thank those who have emailed me or have given me especially encouraging reviews. When I have little to no inspiration to write for Kingdom Hearts, you guys help me get off my lazy bum to play the games again so that I can win that inspiration back. Getting connected to the characters again definitely boosts my writing morale more than anything.

………

* * *

………

When Kairi came to again, she smelled the strong scent of antiseptics. Freezing air had been soaking up her lungs for a while now for it was difficult to breathe. She wanted to breathe, but at the same time, she feared drowning in ice.

In the background, she could also hear a steady hum of one female voice. With its very gentle tone, it fell like a warm trickle of words into Kairi's cold dark mind. Kairi knew that voice – it belonged to her mother.

Whenever she fell sick in the past, or scraped up a wound while roughhousing with the boys, her mother would use the same tone to sooth her pain and fears. Her gentle caressing hands would flutter over Kairi's head and neck either for comfort or to check her conditions. In the end, she would always kiss her nose, earning a bubble of laughter from Kairi even in the most painful of times.

But the kiss on her nose never came.

Kairi tested her arms and legs, but they were wrapped up along with the rest of her body, into a heavy cocoon of bed covers that pressed down over her freezing body. Despite so many layers, Kairi couldn't stop shaking, but she couldn't move either.

In an act of forcing her eyes open, Kairi grimaced under the comforting hand on her forehead. Hushed voices exclaimed in a chorus of "She's awake!" or something along those lines. But the clearest voice Kairi could discern was the female voice as it spoke her name, "Kairi?"

"Mu-m?" Kairi asked, barely moving her mouth. She felt her eyelids give way slowly. Everything was bleary and unclear, like she was looking through fogged glass and not through her own two eyes. Kairi tried to speak again, but her mouth felt so numb and slow as she lisped softly. Even to her own ears, she could hardly tell what she was saying.

"Kairi, it's okay. We're all right here," her mother's voice told her, "Can you hear me? It's me, Aerith."

Kairi struggled to understand the garbled sounds. It took her a while to recognize her name and 'Aerith.' She knew that other name. Aerith was her friend – not her mother. So the woman speaking was not her mother. Her mother was…

Dead.

Kairi was supposed to be dead too – or she was supposed to die. She wasn't dead though. Not yet.

She was lying down. It was cold, freezing cold. She felt crowded, restricted like in that catalyst – that icy, dry-freeze coffin.

Her mind started from slow realization to a thundering conclusion, her thoughts wild and fast as they jumped from assumption to assumption. If it weren't for the blankets, arms, and hands holding her flailing body against the cushioned surface, she would have fallen off the edge of the bed in her shear violent reaction to the simplest idea of lying down. Familiar voices were shouting one thing or another as hands struggled against her in utter chaos.

"KAIRI!" a voice snarled in her ear. One thing for sure, it was not her mother or Aerith who uttered that. The moment the harsh sound ripped out, Kairi as well as everybody froze. Somehow, she had managed to pull her arms out from under the fray, but someone's gloved hand was gripping her shaking wrists together in a steel grasp. With the same strength, she could tell that his other arm was the arm pressed over her pounding chest.

Feeling the frightened pulse of her heart under his arm as well as her wheezing breaths, Sora loosened his hold slightly. Everybody was now staring at him, including Kairi's muddled violet eyes. "Calm down," Sora tried again.

Kairi couldn't really understand him, and that was what scared her the most. The air was bitingly cold against the skin of her arms making her shudder, but her fears contributed to that. She could have looked like she was having a seizure or breakdown to any other person. Aerith's soothing voice broke the tension again, "A hypothermic effect is delusional thinking. We need to concentrate on stabilizing her temperature first; this isn't just any old fever."

"Hang in there, Kairi," another female voice piped up encouragingly. Yuffie? She was her friend too.

The hands that held her down a moment before all loosened as they felt Kairi trying to sit up. Aerith's arms helped her sit up, steadying her. Kairi recognized Cloud's voice speaking, "You said her temperature is still dropping."

Aerith responded, "I thought she was suffering under a normal fever, but it turns out it was hypothermia. Insulation isn't enough at this point. Leon?"

Another masculine voice answered coolly, "Yes?"

"Pull up the equipment here, please," Aerith turned to address Kairi, "Breathe evenly, I know it's very cold but it'll get better in a moment." Kairi tried to keep her eyes open, though it was becoming increasingly hard to keep her head up.

"It's ready," Leon told them as he walked closer.

"Good," Aerith said. She assured the bundled up Kairi with comforting words as she drew the girl up against her shoulder, lifting Kairi's face up in her gentle, but firm hands.

Kairi flinched when something touched her face, but Aerith held her still as someone helped secure the plastic breathing mask over her mouth and nose. The air was considerably warmer and moister as she breathed it in, relieving her of the chilling harsh air she had been breathing for some time. Unable to keep her head up on her own, her face lulled against Aerith's shoulder as she closed her eyes again. Aerith dismissed everyone, asking for the light to go out as they left. Once the room was dark again, Kairi fell asleep as Aerith continued to keep her sitting up.

It must have been a while later when the onboard clinic's door opened again, flooding light into the room from corridor, making Kairi stir. Despite being awake, she didn't open her eyes to the annoying glare of light against her closed eyelids. Still, she felt too tired to move. She noticed she was still breathing the warm air through the mask, and Aerith's frame was still holding her up. Aerith's voice masked how tired she was as she calmly spoke up, "Yes?"

"Cloud asked me to check up on you."

"Did he?" Kairi could imagine Aerith smiling, "That was nice of the two of you. We're both perfectly fine."

"He wants you to take a break, and told me to take over."

Kairi felt Aerith nod, "All right."

She was jostled slightly as new hands took her shoulder, easing her away from the older woman. Kairi's eyes snapped open, "Aerith?" Her quiet voice sounded muddled and distorted, hinting her reluctance for her friend to leave her.

Aerith smiled softly at her, "Don't worry. Sora's here right now, just in time too. My body's cramping from sitting too long."

Kairi felt guilty, her eyes turning downcast. "I'm sorry," Her distorted voice mumbled.

"It's okay," Aerith told her gently, "I just need some rest." She grinned at Sora, "Just let someone know when you get tired."

Sora had his arm around Kairi's thickly bundled shoulders. Kairi could feel him nod, his chin rubbing the crown of her head. Aerith gave them one last look before walking out of the room, the door sliding shut automatically behind her, and enclosing the room back into darkness again.

Neither of them said anything. The only sound was their breathing, especially Kairi's as the mask made her breathing sound especially loud. Her fatigue pulled at her body once more, forcing her to relax against the cold-hearted person beside her. Sora remained still as stone, his arm unmoving around her, his body taut like it was ready to spring into action at any given moment.

"Sora," Kairi began, her voice groggy.

"How are you feeling?" Sora dodged.

Question for question, "How long has Aerith stayed with me?"

Sora answered slowly, "Five hours."

"Five?" Kairi started up in shock, trying to move out from under his arm. Sora tightened his hold around her, not allowing her to move away from him, "Five," he assured her.

"You guys don't have to –"

"It's our job," Sora said blankly.

Kairi froze, but she was unable to settle back against him. "Get off," Kairi finally bit out. Her voice sounded too soft through the mask, and was beginning to make her feel irritated and weak. Though her message was clear, Sora did not move. In fact, he acted like she had not said anything.

Kairi reached up a cold hand. With sharp jerk, the mask gave way as she held it in her hands. She opened her mouth to tell him again, more forcefully this time, when the air pierced the passages of her nose and mouth. Kairi felt like she was choking on ice, her body shook as she tried to speak and breathe.

Sora's free hand moved quickly, as he took the mask from her hand and pressed it over her nose and mouth again, "Keep this on."

Kairi tried to pull his hand away, but Sora wouldn't budge. Though she didn't want to feel the cold fluctuation again, she didn't want him there. When she tried to twist her head away, Sora's supporting arm locked her head still. Kairi used her arms to push against his chest, but completely throwing him off of her was futile. His cold blue eyes burned her, daring her to try resisting against him again.

She hated him.

Oh, did she ever hate him then.

He made her feel more helpless than she ever was, always trapped whenever he was around. He always trapped her because he was always too strong. Nobody had ever defeated him, or else he wouldn't be alive trapping her. He had too much power.

If he had so much power, why did he try so hard to follow orders? Sora had once said that there was a darkness that Ansem instilled inside of him, and that the darkness could rule him at Ansem's command. Sora never said why he feared darkness consuming him. At the time when he told her all of that, she already knew that Sora wished for light because he didn't want to go on killing. But she had sensed that he was hiding something from her too.

She also knew that he hated Ansem. Maybe the same way she resented Sora now. But…

Sora wasn't completely evil, right?

Kairi still glared at him, but she was quick when it came to reasoning. Sora may have been rough, but he was trying to help her. She had to admit that it was a very irrational of her to pull the breathing mask off when she was still recovering from hypothermia. She had no other reason for feeling irate, besides Sora being too overbearing.

"Hold it," he ordered.

Kairi was breathing hard, whether from being angry and frustrated or from trying to replace cold air with warm air again. She held the mask to her face as Sora moved both of his hands behind her head, adjusting the loosened straps. When he was done, he leaned back against the wall, ignoring her again.

Still royally pissed off though, Kairi tried to ignore him too as she sat stiffly on the bed. For a long time, neither spoke to the other. Occasionally, one of them would shift and move the bed. Kairi was losing the feeling to her legs already and her body practically screamed for her to lie down. But every other fiber of her had the irrational fear of doing just that.

Moving the bed again to replace the weight of her body, and jostling Sora against the wall at the same time, the spiky brunette finally snapped, "Why can't you lie down already?"

Kairi tried to ignore him, but his blue eyes wouldn't stop bearing holes into her head despite the darkness. She snapped right back, "What do you want me to say?"

"Just tell me what the hell happened to you," Sora growled.

"I don't have to," Kairi's mask was unable to muffle the flippancy of her words.

She couldn't see Sora in the dark, but she could tell that what he didn't know bothered him more than he usually let on. He radiated cold anger all over. Then he suddenly moved, his weight leaving the bed.

She didn't even have time to react when she felt his predatory aura advanced on her. Suddenly, he was mere inches away from her face with his arms planted on either side of her at the edges of the bed. He effectively caused her to lose her balance and fall against the wall behind her.

Sora watched her face intently, "You were saying?"

"I. Don't. Have. To," Kairi emphasized each word, staring back at him.

"You will have to tell someone soon, including exactly what happened to you. Don't forget that."

Kairi felt intimidated, which was exactly his goal. But she didn't want to show him as she leaned forward, forcing him to back off a little, "If I do, it doesn't have to be you." growing a little more confident, she mimicked, " 'Don't forget that.' I'm not stupid – I know."

She couldn't see Sora's face, but she could feel his hot breath against her ear a moment later. His voice was dark and smooth and melted into her ears, as pleasing as rich chocolate melting on the tongue. But his proximity made her heart beat faster in fear, "You're so incriminating."

He had never used this intoxicating method on her before and was quite a shock to her system since she couldn't even imagine Sora ever acting like this prior to what was happening. "Just tell me, won't you Kairi?" Sora whispered hotly against her ear, sending a shiver all the way up to the back of her neck. The last part though, sounded very genuine despite his earlier approach, "I want to know."

Kairi took a moment to reclaim her bearings. The truth was, she really did want to tell somebody what happened to her. She would have told Sora earlier if he hadn't startled and annoyed her the way he did. Before she could turn away from him though, Sora asked again, "What did they do to you? What did _Riku_ do to you?"

Her hands clenched against the thick blankets surrounding her. She could remember Riku fighting her hostilely, knocking her down. But then she recalled their last broken conversation. She promised to go back and save him, but right now… Was she strong enough to even save herself?

Before either of them knew what was happening, Kairi move closer to Sora, her arms reaching out and wrapping tightly around his back, pulling him towards her into a fierce hug. She hated herself for giving in, but she just wanted to let it all out. She told him everything from start to finish, about how she separated from Leon, Yuffie, and Aerith and ended up fighting her best friend only to fail. Her voice cracked when she explained how she woke up in her ice crypt, left to freeze to death alone. Despite herself, she even indulged him on the weird light and power that conducted her, Kingdom Hearts. She filled him in on all the details up to the point she found Aerith and Yuffie.

"I thought I could handle death, remember?" Kairi laughed humorlessly.

Sora didn't respond, but he could remember how she had waited serenely for him to strike her down the first time he had met her.

He had somehow seated himself again beside her with his arms around her waist. One hand cradled the back of her head against his chest. To him, it should have been a very unnatural gesture, but somehow, whenever he was with her, he felt more human than he had before knowing her.

Kairi continued, her muffled voice sounding faraway and close at the same time, "I guess I was wrong."

"You aren't," Sora said, "It's much harder when you have to time to wait and fear it first."

Kairi nodded against his shoulder, though she had a question for him, "But are you immune to death?"

"…No," he said, "I don't think anybody truly is."

The silence drew out between them like an endless force that both drew them far away with their own thoughts, but drew them back again because they needed each other despite themselves. Kairi shivered from the cold, so Sora pulled the blankets back up to her shoulders. He was going to pull away, when Kairi tightened her arms suddenly, "Don't."

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm just going to pull up a chair so you can actually sleep on the bed," Sora told her calmly.

Kairi sounded neither scared nor pleading, but very straightforward.

"Sleep with me."

…

…

…

Sora froze, "Excuse me?"

"I don't think I can sleep alone," Kairi explained slowly, wondering what was so wrong about what she had said, "Riku and I used to do it all the time when we were kids."

Sora stared at her, trying to read if she was joking or not. He stated, "Not that other thing."

Kairi's red brushstroke brows bent in confusion, "What other thing?"

"You don't know?"

"I don't know what?" Kairi asked, thoroughly confused now.

Sighing, Sora shook his head, "Never mind." It was obvious she wouldn't know. She lived such a sheltered life before, he felt stupid for even bringing it up, "Move over a little."

Kairi gave up some space to him, as she lay down and pressed herself toward the wall. She felt Sora lay down beside her. It was cramped, but feeling someone's warm body next to her made her feel safe. It made the thought dying alone in a frozen catalyst an impossible thought to even conjure. Knowing Sora was simply there was comforting.

For the second time ever, Kairi felt truly safe.

………

* * *

………

**A/N:** It's definitely not my longest chapter ever, but it was exactly what I wanted in this update – for Kairi and Sora to finally get… cozier. For dirtier minds out there, I'll admit that the story is rated for maturity; be it violence or adult themes. This is hardly adult content, as I know we do have a lot of kiddies reading this. I'm considering something mature for the future of this story, but I may have to post that somewhere where I won't get kicked off ff-net. Or, I may just change the rating to 'M'. Be warned.

………

………

………

**Question of the Chapter:**

Do any of you own any ABJD(s)?

**My Answer:**

Yes, I have one currently. He's a Volks SD13 LE Tsukasa Konoe. His name is Thackery. (I stole the name from the movie, Hocus Pocus XP)

………

………

………


	19. Always on My Mind

………

………

………

Chapter 19

………

………

………

Author: Kintora

………

**A/N:** I haven't updated this since last February? Boy does time fly when you look back at the past. It seems to go so slow when you're living in the present though. So, I just want to assure you guys that this story has not fallen off the face of the planet. I just have about six other stories I'm currently working on and a reality to manage too.

I noticed some people were curious about whether or not this story is drawing to a close. I would have to say, "No, not yet." I have so many ideas planned for the plot that I'm wondering whether or not I can fit it all in. So sit tight – this story may end up being 30+ chapters long if I'm not careful. :) But I guess that's better for you.

Don't forget the _Question_ at the bottom! Please enjoy the chapter now.

………

………

………

Kairi awoke slowly, feeling better than she had before. Her body still shook lightly and it felt like there was a stitch in her chest if she breathed too quickly. But all in all, she was dying to get a drink. Her tongue felt like sandpaper inside of her mouth and she could hardly swallow. As she shifted slightly, her awareness grew slightly.

She was in the same room and it was still dark. The breathing mask moved towards the side with the edge biting into her cheek as she tried to lean her head closer to the warm pillow. She had to thank Aerith for giving her a pre-warmed mattress later.

A frown creased her red brow as she hugged the mattress beneath her. It was a bit too hard to be a mattress, and if memory served her well, _mattresses tended to be flat_.

Her eyes flew open, fully realizing her situation again. She had fallen asleep, lying down. And Sora had shared the other half of the bed with her. Relaxing slightly, she also realized she had nothing to worry about. Sora wasn't out to kill her anymore. Even if he still saw her as job to take care of, he was more or less a combination of a babysitter and bodyguard. She sighed, hugging her body against his more tightly. It was too warm to worry about that now.

"I know you're awake," Sora said, though his voice lacked its normally glacial edge. Maybe her ears were plugged, but his voice sounded rather soft – like velvet, with only a hint of steel underneath.

"Hm," Kairi hummed tiredly, trying to drift off to sleep again.

"Aerith came in to check on us about ten minutes ago," said Sora, "Your temperature is rising again. It's about 93 degrees, so it will take a few more days until you can fully recover. You may be able to take off the mask as early as tonight."

Kairi sighed softly, but didn't comment.

Sora spoke up again, "How are you feeling?"

"Better," she readjusted her arms around him. His voice sounded very close, right beside her ear and sent shivers up her spine though she desperately wanted to sleep again.

He turned his head away and coughed slightly, "How about now?"

"Tired," Kairi replied groggily, "I never knew you could carry on a conversation."

He quieted after that, but his constant shifting made it impossible for her to lull off again. Growing slightly annoyed, Kairi pulled herself up onto her elbows and stared sleepily down at him. She wished her eyelids weren't feeling so droopy, but she didn't mind as long as she could see his face below her, "What's wrong?"

Sora had frozen when she had pulled herself up to look at him. The slightest touch she applied to his skin made the hair rise on his arms. Even her deliciously sleepy face taunted his inner emotions, making him realize for the first time, just how beautiful she was. He never took the chance to appreciate beauty, but seeing her wine-red hair spill from her small shoulders and the listless lift of her dark brows made her appeal to the male in him. Her hooded gaze did not help either as she leaned in to inspect him. If she were not wearing the clear breathing mask, he would have thought she was attempting to kiss him.

The scary part was – he would have let her kiss him if that was her intention.

Upon discovering a violent urge to flip her onto her back, Sora stilled completely. He forced himself to remain high-strung and indifferent, even as her lovely, heart-shaped face kept getting closer. When the tips of her hair touched his neck, Sora had to turn his head away and expect the worst.

But she only collapsed on top of him again, this time, her face resting in the crook of his neck. Sensing that the danger of losing himself had subsided slightly, Sora took up the courage to turn his head towards her. A shock of glossy red hair was all he saw, but he could definitely feel her soft cheek touching the hollow under his ear. He could feel her heart beat and noticed it was slower than what was normal, but it was not as weak as before.

Her cool hands clenched the fabric of his shirt on either side of his shoulders. Having shed the black jacket a while ago, the blue muscle shirt he was donning did not help alienate the sensation of her delicate fingers on his skin. Sora sighed heavily and closed his eyes. Even though Kairi was sleeping now and was doing nothing to provoke him, he couldn't help but burn to touch her soft face, her small hands, and her tender back…

Sora groaned, recognizing the unfamiliar feelings. He lifted an arm and dragged a callused hand though his chocolate locks out of habit when he was stressed. He gripped his hair at the roots and wished the pain could make his irrational desires disappear.

It was no good. Even by carefully keeping his arms away from her, he was still distracted by her. He couldn't help but notice the way their bodies _fit_ against each other. While he was lean and hard-muscled, her body practically melted against his with its slender and pliable frame. The very fact that she was close enough for him to run a hand down her back drove him insane. He was only grateful that she had already fallen asleep again and couldn't possibly notice the state he was in. As Sora forced himself to breath evenly, he shivered upon smelling her natural floral scent. It was almost too much for him.

He had half a mind to just move her limpid body off of him and leave her in the room alone. But there was a bigger part of his mind that resented the idea. She would be alone – and the idea of leaving her alone for even a minute caused him some distress. It really bothered him that she would be vulnerable even for such short amount of time.

He hated to admit it, but he felt trapped by her. He was always trapped when it came to her – and she didn't even have to do anything to trap him.

He chuckled humorlessly.

"What have I gotten myself into?"

………

Aerith arrived back later to bring up some dinner as well as to check on Kairi's condition again. The sight that met her eyes was rather sweet, with Sora on his back and a bundled up Kairi sprawled on top of him. It was obvious that the young man had been sleeping, but the instant Aerith had approached the door, he had awoken quickly. The instant the door opened and light spilled inside, his eyes snapped open. If Aerith had not known him for such a long time, she would have been startled to see two sky blue eyes glaring penetratingly at her as she entered.

"How is she?" Aerith whispered quietly.

Sora shifted himself up slowly, not wanting to jostle the girl in his arms too much, "Tired."

Aerith came over; putting the tray of food on the bedside table before helping Sora lay Kairi back down again. Kairi frowned and mumbled incoherently at the disturbance, but otherwise slept on. If Sora had been any other guy, he would have had trouble peeling his eyes away from her. He asked Aerith, "Is it time to change shifts?"

"You could call it that. But I thought both of you would be hungry…"

"No thanks," Sora said swiftly, finding it a little difficult to cultivate his aloof attitude. He was only too eager to leave, "I'll be going now." Without even a backward glance, Sora left the bedroom.

Aerith shook her head, looking back down at Kairi. "I wonder what you did to him," she asked the sleeping girl.

It only took Kairi a few more minutes to rouse once the aroma of food wafted around the room. She blinked her eyes open sleepily, realizing that this time, Sora was not there. As she sat up, she wondered why he would have been there in the first place before she remembered everything that had happened recently. She shuddered, but was able to fight the chilling feeling.

"How was your sleep?"

Kairi acknowledged Aerith with a smile and pushed the covers higher up to her chin, "Nice. I don't feel as sick as before. Just slow."

Aerith smiled in assurance back at her, "That's a good start. But take it easy for now. And eat something. It'll give you a little energy boost." She pointed a hand to the tray beside Kairi.

Having finally gotten some sleep in, Kairi was feeling much better though her temperature still remained very low compared to normal standards. However, Aerith deemed that she was well enough to breathe without the help of a machine. Dinner went by with a bit of chatter, eventually drawing Yuffie in when the ninja was passing by.

It gave Kairi a great sense of relief knowing that her friends were well. Eventually, Aerith and Yuffie helped move Kairi back to their room when Kairi realized she was in Sora's. Aerith had to explain to her how that happened, and Kairi could only flush in embarrassment at being so out of it that she couldn't even find walk up the stairs earlier. Yuffie was very vehement about telling her that there hadn't been anything Kairi could do – she had been very sick.

Which brought them back to the question of how that happened.

"You get hypothermia when your body is exposed to freezing temperatures for a while. It's not normal that you got sick in the first place," Aerith introduced the problem slowly, "So how did that happen?"

Kairi did not feel like sharing the experience and simply looked down at her lap. She knew Yuffie and Aerith were exchanging glances when Yuffie finally piped up, "Well, you can always tell us later. But don't be surprised if Ansem catches wind that you're awake and decides to interrogate you."

Kairi shuddered, but this time it was from the mere chance of seeing that man again. She had tried her very best to avoid him at all cost and had been very successful so far. She was not planning to ruin that, as an encounter with the creepy man caused her stomach to pull itself into knots.

Knowing she was cornered, Kairi gave in and told them a little bit about what waking up in an ice crypt felt like, as well as how she escaped it. She did mention that the other princesses had been frozen up in the same way.

What she couldn't remember was whether or not she told Sora about how she helped the other Princesses of Heart escape – but she decided to omit the information from Aerith and Yuffie now that she was totally aware of what she was explaining.

Aerith and Yuffie were quite perturbed at the recent events and could only look guiltily at Kairi. Yuffie crossed her arms and sulked, feeling genuinely irritated, "Some bodyguards we were. We couldn't even free ourselves if you hadn't come and saved us. Not only that, but you had to save yourself first from something like _that_? It's amazing we're even alive."

Kairi could not tell whether she should have felt insulted or proud, "Are you saying that I'm weak?"

Yuffie shook her head fervently and opened her mouth to protest, but Aerith beat her to it before the ninja could stick her foot any further into her mouth, "You know that's not what she means. It's just that… Nobody could have survived something like that. If the other princesses were trapped with you, why was it only you who woke up? No offense, Kairi, but what makes you so special compared to the other princesses?"

Kairi shrugged, "I don't know. But maybe it had something to do with Kingdom Hearts. You know, that big heart-shaped moon."

"That was only an entrance into Kingdom Hearts. There are probably many more out there," Aerith told her.

"All the same, I felt like I was being pulled towards it."

"You mean floating towards it like a balloon," Yuffie corrected with a little humor.

Kairi threw a pillow at her head.

Aerith ignored the mini-pillow fight going on as she tapped a finger against her cheek thoughtfully, "Well, what we do know is that all the princesses are back at the Organization's headquarters. That's a good start to finding them."

Kairi wasn't pro-finding the other princesses, especially since she had helped them escape. But she couldn't help but begin to correct Aerith, "Well… Actually –"

Before any kind of explanation could leave her mouth, there was a knock at the door. Leon spoke through it, "Ansem wants you three down at the meeting room, pronto."

Yuffie leapt to her feet and opened up, "What for?"

Leon sighed tiredly, the dark shadows under his eyes still not completely gone yet, "I'm not sure, but he wants Kairi down there whether she's recovered or not."

Aerith nodded, standing up beside the bed, "We will be there as soon as Kairi changes into something warmer."

Leon nodded and left, but not before Yuffie lunged after him attacked his arm, saying that she would keep him company. Kairi and Aerith exchanged knowing looks before they scouted around for the blue sweatshirt and long jeans that continued to elude them for another five minutes.

After shoving Kairi's lethargic legs and arms into the winter outfit, Aerith ushered her out of their room by the elbow, supporting her in case her balance faltered. Kairi grit her teeth in annoyance as she tried to descend the stairs. It was not as easy as she thought it would be as her delayed reactions made her slip now and then. If Aerith were not there, she would have risked breaking her neck.

Despite the mild setback, Aerith remained patient and encouraging as she lent a hand to Kairi the whole way down. Their slow but careful progress resulted in being late. When they arrived, it seemed that only the elite were invited for the meeting.

Cloud and Sephiroth were facing each other, and seemed to be sizing the other up, while Leon and Yuffie maintained their distance closer to the door. Ansem stood at the head of the room with Sora standing farthest away from all of them. Sora did not even look at Aerith or Kairi when they stepped into the room. However, Ansem shot them a dirty look before continuing what he was saying.

"The Organization's moving faster than before. Their portal to Kingdom Hearts has almost opened, but that still remains a question of how. It was only half a heart then, which gives us proof that they have most of the princesses."

Cloud frowned at the man, "If that's the case, then we may be too late."

"Too late?" Sephiroth drawled cynically at Cloud, "No, we're not, even if we have to win with the last pawn of the chessboard." He nodded coldly in Kairi's direction. Kairi bristled inside, but she was not surprised at being treated in such a way.

Ansem grimaced, disliking the odds, "Not for long if we don't act quickly. We need the rest of the princesses. It's too late to create our own portal, but without the princesses, the Organization will have no way of completing their road to Kingdom Hearts." He turned his piercing yellow eyes onto Aerith and Yuffie, "Well? You two were floundering around inside their headquarters for some time. I assume you would have found out something."

Yuffie gave Aerith and Kairi a nervous glance while Kairi's face remained impeccably blasé despite the whole room's attention on the three of them. Aerith however, moved forward with a calm grace and spoke for them, "Kairi has let us know that the Organization does have the rest of the princesses. She had managed to escape from the Organization, probably during the final phase of their plan. If she had not, Kingdom Hearts would have already opened."

Ansem narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "And how does she know about the princesses?"

Kairi kept her mouth sealed shut, unwilling to leak information about them. However, Yuffie offered quickly, "Kairi was locked up inside a glass coffin and practically iced to death. When she escaped, she probably got a good look at the other coffins there."

"Probably?" Sephiroth snorted. Yuffie glared at him, but held back a tongue-lashing.

Ansem's eyes turned their full force attention onto Kairi, but Kairi's eyes did not waver. She was not going to tell them anything if she could help it. She could have her fingers nails plucked off with her body sliced and diced into pieces, but she still would not betray the details of her role in the great escape. She wanted to help neither side, even if her friends were a part of the Shadow Hearts.

Seeing her defiance against him caused Ansem to grin malevolently. He knew that she did not care what would happen to her – his previous methods in abusing her only resulted in finding nothing from her. But he had a plan that would make her spill everything she knew.

"I suppose you wouldn't care if I had to discard one of my subordinates, Kairi," Ansem told her cruelly, "You know something that I want. I have something that you would want too."

Kairi remained silent.

"Sora has told you, hasn't he? I control him. He is a puppet – he can't do anything unless I say he can. If I told him to kill himself, he would," Ansem continued candidly, "But he had failed me so many times. He failed to kill that boy Riku in the first place, which makes him responsible for your kidnapping among other things. To me, he is growing steadily _useless_. What is stopping me from destroying him?"

Sora gasped suddenly, his eyes growing wide and his face contorting in pain. A wisp of darkness seeped from his chest where his heart was and began to spread solid black tendrils across his body towards his head and shoulders. His fingers dug into his shirt as he fought from falling to his knees. Sweat beaded on his face as his whole body shook uncontrollably. The tang of poison hinted the air, like the scent of ozone after a violent storm.

Aerith, Yuffie, and Leon had rushed to his side and were trying to ease Sora out of his painful state. Yuffie kept sending vicious looks at Ansem's turned back though nobody dared to attack him. Even Cloud looked like he was caught between attending to Sora and attacking the boss.

Kairi paled and her feet remained glued to ground, probably by restraining magic. Her mind whirred rapidly to come up with an answer that would satisfy Ansem and save Sora, without giving away too much information. Ansem strolled towards her, ignoring the suffering state Sora was in as he passed him.

"What do you say, Kairi? Shed some light on me, and I may be able to spare him," he taunted her.

Sora let out a pained sound from where he crouched on his hands and knees. But she could tell that if he had not honed himself to deal with pain, he would have been writhing on ground and screaming. He was not letting on how much it hurt. But that did not stop her from feeling torn. She felt a stab of fear when Sora looked up again.

Instead of his normal sky blue eyes, his eyes had turned a butter-yellow like a heartless'. The twisted grimace on his face looked more like a wicked smile despite the evident pain he was in.

He was changing.

"What are you doing to him?" Kairi half-whispered, half-sighed. She had meant to yell at the man, but the restraining spell and her illness kept her from raising her voice. She could not even turn her head away from the horrific scene in front of her.

Ansem walked behind her and ran his hands down both of her shaking shoulders as he leaned his face turn next to her ears, "Indeed, I am letting that darkness spread. Without me to control it, Sora would be nothing but a mindless heartless."

Kairi didn't want to believe him.

As if reading her mind, Ansem chuckled, "You don't believe me now, do you? But it's true. I saved his life when he was a boy. But the Sora you see now is not the same boy as before. I extracted this Sora, for my own purpose."

Kairi worked her jaw and managed to ask him, "Where's the rest of him?"

"In another body. Unfortunately, it died a long time ago."

Her mind struggled to comprehend the logic, "What other body?"

"A shell, a copy, of a real person – a nobody called Roxas."

………

………

………

**A/N:** My plans are _sizzling_. Sora's having trouble keeping a lid on his human emotions, all because of Kairi – and Kairi thought she was the only one who couldn't control how she felt towards others. I'm really debating on how far I'm going to take the maturity level, but I think this will be as far as it goes. I don't feel like scaring people off, even if Halloween is right around the corner. Damn, I love baking the moods in this story though. ;D

And I bet you're all going, 'huh?' at this point. It's confusing now, but you'll see why Roxas is mentioned later.

Please send your comments to me via the review button. I'm not begging for reviews, but I would appreciate hearing your feedback. I always get around to reading them all, so it's a good chance for you to bombard me with questions or any concerns towards the plot or characters. Depending on what you ask me, I will answer your questions. Either way, I do send back my thanks and acknowledgment through private messaging.

**Also, just to keep equilibrium between my stories, I shall also have a little section at the bottom of the chapter dedicated to acknowledging reviewers. So go check yourself out from now on. :)**

………

………

………

**Question(s) of the Chapter:**

Which Kingdom Hearts game is your favorite? Which Final Fantasy game is your favorite?

**My Answer:**

My favorite KH game is KH2. While I love all the KH games (1 and CoM,) 2 happened to draw me in the most though.

As for the Final Fantasy series, I can't really pick an absolute favorite. I liked all of the ones ranging from VII to X-2. If you held a knife to my throat and told me to pick one, I would still have a hard time choosing between X and X-2.

And you, my fellow peers? What do _you_ choose?

………

………

………

Thanks to my Chapter 18 reviewers: xicecreamx , Deliahgirl , Iridaceae , kingdomfantasyanime453 , Princess Io , KhanomAna , darkwing13 , Sayshello3 , Snik , BeAuTifuL SmiLe , Ellie0223 , Typical Sundays , CheshireKatt , FallIntoTomorrow , allyson , DuskSamurai , Gox19 , and pinktonks .

………

………

………


	20. A Sweet Breath of Sky

………

………

………

Chapter 20

………

………

………

Author: Kintora

………

**A/N:** I know, I know. You guys were pretty upset when I made Sora and Kairi suffer so much. It's not going to end just yet though. Sometimes the worst pains and labors bring out the _best rewards_. (Hint, hint, wink, wink.) At this point, Sora and Kairi are at stage that Tarot readers would deem as the Nine of Wands.

I don't know how else to describe it. But out of the darkness, there is always a light. They'll just have to find it.

As for all the questions I'm getting for Roxas and Namine – you'll just have to see. If I tell you too much about them, the story will be spoiled. Anyway, I hope you guys will continue to enjoy the story as it unravels. With every chapter, the end looms near. I'm considering a sequel, though I'm not 100 percent sure about it. By the time the story ends, it will definitely be able to stand on its own. :)

………

………

………

Kairi's face bled white as she struggled to fight the restraining spell. But it was no use. She could barely frown or speak, much less twitch a finger or kick the evil man in the balls. Anger seeped into all of her nerves as she felt fire glowing just under her skin. She could not even look away from Sora, even if she wanted to. All she could do was watch him change, his body turning black and his wicked smile growing even more twisted as the seconds passed.

"I don't…" she hissed barely audible, her mouth numb.

"What was that?" Ansem mocked, his golden-red eyes flashing maliciously, "You don't believe me? But I'm afraid it's true princess. Your prince is nothing but a broken imitation, a broken toy. And quite soon, when I have no use for you – you will be one too."

Yuffie yelled something and lunged herself at Ansem, but Leon grabbed her just in time. He had to really struggle to keep her from ripping his arms off of her. Aerith's green eyes cast warning daggers at the young ninja before turning contentiously onto Ansem too. Cloud stood motionless in place with his shoulders tensely squared, staring at his feet in utter helplessness. Sephiroth merely snorted at the scene, but stayed rooted where he was as he watched on with cold empathy in his chilling eyes.

Kairi watched as Sora twisted in Aerith's arms, and began to move his body in the characteristic jerking motions that heartlesses moved in. He cocked his head around to look devilishly at the room's occupants. There was no recognition in those buttery eyes of his. Any second, and he would turn on all of them.

When his glowing yellow eyes turned to stare at her unblinkingly, Kairi finally let out a strangled sound. Her eyes flooded against her control. This boy… Sora… he was not… he was not…

She shut her eyes forcefully, feeling the warm tears slide down her face effortlessly. No… Sora

_It's not true._

Her burning violet eyes snapped open, pinning Ansem with her furious glare.

_He's not someone's toy!_

Ansem only chuckled, unaffected by her silent rage, "You have a choice, dear Kairi. Either you surrender the information I want, truthfully, mind you – or you can watch your precious _friend_ turn into a monster."

Kairi's mind was racing. What meant more to her? The greater good, or Sora's life?

"No?" Ansem drawled, his dark face twisting with more sick glee, "How about I raise the stakes a little?" He lifted his right arm.

Yuffie screamed as she was pulled into the air by invisible strings, and flung against the wall. Kairi let out a sucked a breath in harshly while Leon and Aerith leapt to their feet in outrage. Cloud had looked up and was sizing Ansem up while keeping his eye on a pensive–looking Sephiroth, who stood not a few feet from him.

"This is what happens when your allegiance falls elsewhere." Ansem opened his fist and flexed his fingers in a curling motion. There was a cracking sound of bones snapping as Yuffie yelled out again to fight the tortuous pain.

Kairi struggled, managing to shake her head, tears pouring from her eyes as she screamed at him, "All right, just stop it! I'll tell you!_ Stop it!_" She choked, trying to lift her head again, "I'll tell you. Just let them go."

A triumphant look crossed Ansem's conniving face as he let his arm drop to his side. Yuffie fell to the ground, gasping in pain and clutching her ribs. Immediately, Leon and Cloud were at her side. Kairi flinched violently when Ansem touched her face, smearing away the tears from her blotched face. She continued to struggle, but fought the urge to bite his hand less he do something worse if she did. He grumbled, gripping her face hard as he forced her to face him.

"Now, now, princess. I did half of what we agreed. You better be truthful, or else Sora won't be getting off the hook so easily."

Kairi swallowed, trying to fix her dry throat. She wrenched her face out of his hands and blinked rapidly. Drawing on her depleted energy, she finally spoke again, "The Organization… Organization XIII. They don't have the princesses. Not anymore."

"No, I guess not," Ansem waited patiently, but Kairi could tell that he was not going to wait for long if she hesitated any longer.

"It… It was my fault. I found them, and I let them go," Kairi pinched her eyes shut and tried to breathe evenly, "That's all. I don't know much after that."

Ansem did not speak for a while as the room continued to echo with silence, aside from Yuffie's groans as Aerith mended her broken ribs with an advanced healing spell. No one dared to break the brittle quiet. But Ansem suddenly began to chuckle darkly

"You let them go?"

Kairi nodded in defeat.

"_Where!_" Ansem snapped just as suddenly. He gripped her hair and pulled her forward, "And don't you lie to me, girl."

"I'm not lying!" Kairi said, wincing but otherwise remained still against her will, "I only know that there was light and warmth before everyone faded. But I couldn't go with them. I woke up before I could go with them. It was like a dream – and nobody can control dreams!"

Ansem released her and the spell, causing Kairi to collapse onto the ground. He stepped over her walking for the door immediately. He muttered, but Kairi heard him well, "There is someone who can, that damned fool of a _king_." He snarled the last word, and called for Sephiroth to follow him out. Coldly, he ordered Cloud to "clean up the mess."

Before he left, cast a contemptuous look down on Sora's writhing body and spoke indifferently to him.

"Maybe you are still somewhat useful – as a bargaining token. Wear that out, and I will replace you, Sora."

Cloud waited until the two men left before walking over to Kairi. She did not protest as he picked her up and rejoined the small group. He said nothing to her and only spoke briefly to Aerith, "The King."

Aerith only nodded, confusing Kairi's befuddled mind even more.

Cloud sat Kairi onto the ground beside Aerith and kissed Aerith's cheek swiftly. He patted Kairi's head gently too, before he stood up again and left the room. Wearily, Kairi let her head drop and lull against the wall. She was shivering again, becoming as cold as ice once more despite the layers she wore and the warm heater humming behind her.

"Sora…" she mumbled to no one and everyone.

"He's all right, Kairi," Leon told her as he tended to Yuffie with a stabilization spell, "He's out now, but he will wake up soon."

Kairi felt as if her brain was swimming inside her skull, "What happened to him?"

Aerith answered her calmly as she sat back from taking care of Yuffie to focusing her attention on the redhead, "You know that Ansem has control over Sora, and Sora can't fight him. This time was just more dangerous than ever before. A minute longer, and Sora may not have been able to change back into himself again. Now hold still Kairi. Ansem really drained you with that spell of his. At this rate, your hypothermia will come back."

"It's okay, I'm fine," Kairi said, pulling away from Aerith, "How is he? And Yuffie?"

"They're both fine," Aerith assured her, "I put them under a sleep spell so that they could gain back some strength."

Kairi struggled to her knees and began to crawl towards Sora and Yuffie. She sighed slightly, seeing the two of them in a deep sleep. Slowly, she began to relax, seeing that Sora no longer sported that vicious smile or that blistering, yellow glare. He was safe, for now at least. Neither Aerith nor Leon stopped her from reaching out to Sora's still form. For that, Kairi was grateful as she snuggled up to his side and buried her face against the crook of his neck. She sighed once, twice.

And then she went out like a light.

………

Sora wanted to scream and thrash, but he could do neither. The darkness, the pain, and the silence – it was all so overwhelming. Little by little, the suffocating feeling ate away at his lungs, crushing his body in its irrevocable grip. He felt so… helpless. Most of the time, he pretended that he wasn't. But the truth was, he had always been helpless – so helpless, that he couldn't stop killing people even if he wanted to, just because someone else ordered him to kill.

He would have liked to not feel such helplessness. He would have liked to learn how to make his own decisions.

If he were not a prisoner, he would have set out to discover who he was, where he came from, and whom else he had known.

Unable to call out, he struggled in vain. He could not be saved. Nobody could hear him.

He could not save himself.

_Come on, come on…_

_You can do it…_

He could remember that voice from those childhood games that he and the other children would play at school, in their green backyards, or on the playgrounds. He vaguely recalled a colored figure dangling from a tree as candy poured out from it. A piñata? But then… he had never known those things before. Why were they so familiar?

_Come on, come on…_

_You can do it…_

That chanting… It reminded him of a stupid kiddy chant he learned during clean up time back in preschool. _Clean up, clean up, everybody, everywhere… _The voice itself, he had heard countless times. The little girl it belonged to… Who was she? It was the same child's voice that he could hear in the back of his mind if he really tried to listen for it. Now that he did not even have to try, it would not shut up.

_Come on, come on…_

_You can do it…_

_Roxas._

'Who's Roxas?!' Sora wanted to yell. 'I'm not Roxas.'

_You can do it…_

_Come on, come on…_

_Roxas._

_Roxas._

_Roxas._

'**SHUT UP!'** Sora cried out in his mind. He wanted to punch something. Anything. These memories… These memories couldn't be his! They had to belong to that guy – that Roxas. And he wasn't Roxas.

He couldn't be.

But he wished he were. Roxas… Roxas must have had a better childhood than him. Whoever Roxas was, he must have been a better person than Sora was right now.

_I can tell you're a good person with a good heart. You actually have two reasons to why you want to destroy the darkness in you. One is to get rid of Ansem's control, but the other is to be free of the dark and enter the light so you won't ever have to see another person die at your own hands again._

No, that wasn't completely true. He had so much hate inside of him. There were times when he killed and he felt no remorse afterwards. There were times when he killed and forgot himself. He would kill, letting the power ride his senses. There were times when he just wanted to watch people squirm under his cold, calculating gaze before he slaughtered them without a second thought.

Sometimes, killing felt like a hobby to him – something he actually _enjoyed_ doing.

He was… heartless. Nobody would ever understand. He could never escape it. He had to be a bad person.

_Sora, you don't have to act like that. There's nothing wrong with admitting it._

Sora stopped struggling to fight the sweet, reasoning voice in his head. He knew those words. They were spoken to him before, even though it seemed so long ago. Whoever said them, knew him. Perhaps – even believed in him.

_Would you like to talk for a second?_

Sora didn't have eyes to see. If he did, he would have blinked. Was this person talking to him now? Or…

_I… couldn't sleep._

_I came out to get some fresh air._

Or was that voice a repercussion of a conversation that had lingered in the back of his mind?

_Please? Just stay with me?_

Sora could almost feel the unfamiliar sting of fresh tears. But he tried to remain stoic. He was alone. He had always been alone. He didn't want to share his sorrows. He didn't want anybody to see him so weak. He had to be strong and cold. He had to be heartless. After all these years, he had come to accept that.

_Why are you always so cold? I've never seen you crack a smile before._

He was alone. Whoever was speaking to him – spoke to him – would obviously never understand his pain. It was his punishment to perish alone in the dark like this.

_How would I not understand?_

_You may have been alone Sora. But you're not anymore._

_Sora._

His name… He couldn't ignore it. This person could see him for who he was and not turn away in fright. This person had learned to adjust to him, maybe even trust him. He wanted to return the favor, but he couldn't. He was drowning; he was dying. The light was invisible to him.

_I thought I could handle death remember?_

_I guess I was wrong._

'No, I'll protect you,' Sora thought immediately. 'Don't go.'

…_Are you immune to death?_

'No, Kairi. I'm not. I'm only human.'

Sora choked sharply.

'Kairi…?'

As if a block of lead had just suddenly fallen onto his chest, Sora found himself wheezing shallowly. But at least, he could feel himself breathing again. He felt like he was real again, and not just a shapeless, amorphous creature of the dark. He could feel the warmth again, the warmth clutching him protectively.

But pairs of buttery yellow eyes still haunted him. They were crowding in on him, threatening to take away all he had left. In his mind's eyes, he saw one lunge at him, sweeping a deadly claw at him. Breathing harshly, Sora grabbed the thing by its neck. It sputtered, scratching helplessly at his hands.

_Sora. Sora._

It was saying his name.

_Stop… Stop it._

His blue eyes snapped open suddenly as he jolted up with the heartless in his fierce stranglehold. Looking down, the figure of the helpless heartless melted into the figure of a helpless girl. Her fingers dug into his hands, her lengthy red hair partially covered her petrified, violet eyes. Just as quickly, he let her go, recognizing her immediately. But before she could recover, Sora moved his strong grip to her shoulders, and crushed her against him, wrapping his strong arms around her.

Kairi squeaked and choked at the same time, not knowing exactly what had just happened. She only recalled waking up with Sora trying to break her windpipe by snapping her neck. It had terrified her, not knowing why he was with her or where she even was. And now he was hugging her as if there was no tomorrow. Unable to move her arms, she simply sat there, little by little, relaxing into his tight embrace.

Realizing that he was not going to let go of her any time soon, she rested her cheek against his shoulder and waited. Looking around the room, she realized that they were in the ship's infirmary. It was dark – the lights had been turned off. There were empty beds lining the room, all of which were bolted to the floor. Remembering Yuffie, Kairi sat up a little straighter and squinted, only relaxing again when she saw her ninja friend sleeping not two beds away.

By the time Kairi had finished her observations, Sora's grip on her had loosed somewhat, allowing her to hug him back. Idly, she wondered why she was sleeping on the same bed as him. There were obviously enough to go around. Again, she thought back to the violent event back in the meeting room. She just remembered falling asleep beside Sora…

…And not wanting to let go of him. Ever.

She shocked herself as she realized that. More than ever now, she understood that something had definitely changed between them during the time they spent with each other. She had never desired to be attached to someone so strongly before. Not to Aerith or Yuffie – not to anyone. It was all new to her, and she did not understand any of it.

But it didn't matter. Kairi renewed the strength of her embrace and squeezed Sora back much harder than before, burying her face against his neck and letting his clean scent calm her. "Ocean" meandered through her mind, even though she did not recall ever going to the ocean.

For some reason, Kairi wanted to cry. If either of them let go, her heart would explode.

She wanted him to know her feelings, but…

She was scared to tell him.

If she told him, it would make her more vulnerable to him than ever. What if he did not like what she wanted to tell him? What if he did not feel the same for her? Would he abandon her? Sora once told her that they couldn't be friends. But that would make everything that they experienced with each other, null. Her feelings were alien, and quite forbidden.

But for now, all she could do was cling to him, and dream that the moment would never end as she fought the urge to let her lips travel across his warm, smooth skin.

Slowly, Sora pulled away from her, but only so he could look her in the eye. She had never seen his eyes so gentle and so hard at the same time. There was no kindness, yet there was no disapproval either. There was no coldness, but the intense heat in his eyes threatened to burn and melt her. It was like staring into the sun for too long, forcing her eyes to look away first. His eyes were making her so dizzy, but not in a nauseous way.

Without a word, he leaned in towards her slowly, giving her the chance to pull away if she wanted to. As his face drew nearer and nearer, Kairi couldn't help but feel like moving towards him too – as if there was some sort of magnetic pull between them. His gorgeous blue eyes hooded slightly as they drew close, their lips barely a hair's width apart. She could feel his warm, sweet breath caressing her moist lips as he breathed gently against them. Kairi let her eyes flutter shut.

Sora moved first after that, pushing her head back slightly as he devoured a warm kiss from her.

And just like that, Kairi was given her first kiss.

………

………

………

**A/N:** What did I say before? Things are totally heating up. :)

………

………

………

**Question(s) of the Chapter:**

What pairings do you like for Kingdom Hearts? Do you have a favorite? If so, what is it? (If you like yaoi or yuri pairings, that's fine. Just state them – they don't have to be straight.)

**My Answer:**

My favorites are Sora x Kairi and Roxas x Namine, obviously. I like Cloud x Aerith, Leon x Yuffie, and Hayner x Olette too. A while back, a friend of mine suggested a story involving Kairi x Yuffie as the main couple. I don't normally read gay pairings, but for some reason, I really liked that one particular yuri story. When it comes to KH pairings though, that's about it.

………

………

………

Thanks to my Chapter 19 reviewers: kingdomfantasyanime453 , Ellie0223 , saskk , Wings of Water- SKYE , Princess Io , Kairi1624 , KhanomAna , CerberAsta , Deliahgirl , kingdomheartsbiggestfan , Gox19 , hoopla37 , pinktonks , Jillzie , Typical Sundays , Roxine4Ever1794 , allyson , toomanyemotions , MoonKitty136 , whyme55577 , KarateKairi , and darkwing13.

**_I love you guys! xoxoxox_**

………

………

………


	21. The Point of Existence

………

………

………

Chapter 21

………

………

………

Author: Kintora

………

**A/N:** It's been a long couple of months since I updated. But I've been pretty busy (and harassed) by all the hard work this year, and it's not letting up any time soon. But for the sake of our sanity, I am updating this story after getting over a serious road block. So I hope you guys are all up to reading this chapter and continuing the story.

By the way, if you guys have any fanart for my stories, give me a link or something. I'm totally interested! If you do, I'll link it in my bio for other people to see. You can go check out Bean Sprout's artwork that she did for _**Deja Blue**_. The link is in my profile.

………

………

………

Sora pulled Kairi against him after their first, lasting kiss. It felt incredible, as if all of his senses were on fire, his skin practically tingling with electricity, with unspent energy. He knew what he wanted and he knew he couldn't have it. For now, having her in his arms was enough. For now, it was all that mattered as he ran his fingers through her lovely, garnet hair.

"Sora," she murmured, her hand seeking out his free hand.

"Yes?"

Kairi wove their fingers together, and shifted so that she could rest her forehead in the crook of his neck. Swallowing the thick emotions stuck in her throat, she spoke up again, fighting the slight tremor in her voice.

"I thought I lost you. Back then… when Ansem hurt you like that."

Sora hung his head, and sighed deeply. He stopped playing with her hair, "I'm sorry you had to see that. But now you know what I am, how can you stand me?"

He could feel her feathery eyelashes flutter against his skin as she blinked in confusion. She sat up, getting a better look at him, "You hate yourself for being half-heartless. Don't you?"

He wanted to deny that. But one look into her concerned eyes made him incapable of telling her a lie, "I do."

She smiled sadly at him, "I know how you feel. I hate myself too."

"How can you?" Sora asked before he could stop himself, "How can you hate yourself? You're the purest person I know. You've never done anything wrong!"

Kairi sat up before him, taking his hands in hers, "Maybe you hate yourself for doing something wrong. But that's not the only reason people could hate themselves for."

Sora couldn't imagine where Kairi was going with the conversation. Most importantly, he couldn't understand why she could hate herself. All he ever saw in her was the desire to help her friends, even if it cost her, her own life. He on the other hand, had always worked to serve himself. He was selfish, cruel, and often unthinking towards other people's feelings. Not only that. He was vengeful and violent, often thinking the worst of others with ill will. He actually had a legitimate reason to hate himself. And yet Kairi felt the same self-hate? Why?

Kairi could see the tumult of questions plaguing her friend, "I've never murdered anyone, or done much to make others hate me. But I hate my existence. If I decided to commit suicide now, it would not be the first time I'd try."

"You really tried to kill yourself?" Sora asked her. But then her words dawned on him, "Are you saying you hate your purpose for being here? For being instrumental to opening Kingdom Hearts?"

Kairi held his hands against her face, "Yes, and no. I just hate putting those I care for in danger. First my mother, then Riku, and now those I've come to care about in this faction." She glanced over at Yuffie's sleeping figure before looking back him, "And for putting you into so many binds. Just by living, I have made so many people suffer, Sora. And I can't protect them the way I want to."

Sora watched her downcast eyes and broken smile, feeling as if his own heart was breaking at the sight of her sadness. It really disturbed him, seeing that small, bitter smile appear on her face. He couldn't shake the feeling that he had seen that smile before. And then he remembered the time after the mage had finished stirring up her memories back at the S.H. headquarters.

"_I couldn't… save…her, my mom… she's gone, because of me…" she whispered. Sora waved a hand over Kairi's half-closed eyes. The irises did not even move, showing no sign of reacting in anyway. She was still unaware of him. Then how was she answering him?_

"_It's all my fault," her small voice keened as tears filled her eyes, and spilled silently down the sides of her face._

_Then Sora realized why. She was still trapped somewhere in her horrible memories, blaming herself._

_He turned away, not wanting to look at her deathly face any longer. He could not stand seeing the way her brow remained impassive while her lips curled into a small, bitter smile._

_Suddenly, her voice sounded vaguely like a child's._

"_**I killed her."**_

Sora brought her hands to his face this time, pressing his lips against her palm. He wished he could make her forget her past. Whatever had happened, he knew that she did not actually kill anyone. But now he understood that being the reason for another's death could feel just as bad as actually killing them. Even though she was not crying, he knew that her sadness ran just as deep as his – perhaps even deeper.

"But you know…" Sora began, surprising himself, "I'm starting to think there is a purpose why we met."

Kairi touched his face, "What do you mean? We were never supposed to feel this way towards each other, Sora. Ansem said as much, except not in so many words."

"Of course that monster would not want it this way," Sora said, drawing her to him again. As he gathered her in his arms, he continued, "But it happened. In a strange way, I think we're filling up the void in each other. We each hate ourselves, and yet…"

"We love each other?" Kairi finished for him, hugging him back.

"That's right," Sora whispered, savoring the moment and the feelings he had never felt before.

………

Back at Organization XIII's headquarters, a loud crash resounded throughout the castle startling Namine enough to make her drop the tray of candies and biscuits onto the polished white floor. Another crash and bang pierced the halls, but she was ready for it this time. Merely shutting out the violent sounds, she slid blonde locks away from her face as she stooped to pick up her fallen burdens. It was obvious that Xemnas, Saix, or Marluxia was in a rather bad mood.

Namine, for one, did not want to get caught up into the mess. She knew what the consequences felt like, and the fruit of any of their wraths could last for days.

After cleaning up the crumbs, Namine hurried back to the kitchen. It looked like Larxene was going to have to wait for her sweets now. It was too dangerous to walk around the halls like a sitting duck waiting for one of the elite nobodies to appear and take their anger out on her.

Namine hated herself. She was also a nobody, the shell of an original person – something barely even able to be called a person. Yet she was not like them. She had a conscience, a heart. And according to everyone else, she was weak because of it. Yet they always reminded her that it did not matter so long as she kept using her special ability, a spin-off from the powers of her original host.

Now that she actually thought about it, she had never met her 'original.' She was never allowed to meet her, for both of them were always kept in different places. Kairi probably didn't even know that Namine existed. But Namine never minded the fact that she had never met her counterpart. In fact, she could say that she was even grateful to have never met her. It was because of Kairi that Namine was created, only to live a half-life. After all, Kairi hadn't been the only one who had been experimented upon.

Shortly after Kairi's disappearance, the number of experiments in Vexen's lab increased for Namine. They pushed her harder and harder to see if she could acquire the same exact powers that came with being a Princess of Heart. They cut her up and sewed her back together. They stuck needles everywhere in her body and left her like that for days, strapped to the experiment table. Even now, her body still ached in the worst places. When she was not being a replacement lab rat, she was the personal servant of Organization XIII's elite nobodies.

Namine would have already run away, if only there had been a place to run to. But other than the stark, white walls or dark, glittering dungeons, she could not find a way out. Even if she tried, they would find her and hurt her even more.

She had resigned herself to working for them. But that didn't mean that she completely feared them. In fact, she subtly tampered with the memories enough to make Zexion believe he owned a pair of boxers with red heart prints on them, when he really didn't. She smiled at the thought as she slipped into the kitchen.

"What are you smiling about, missy?"

The disembodied voice startled her, making her jump.

"Relax, it's just me. Axel."

Namine watched as Axel appeared in a flurry of darkness before her. The tall, lean man dressed in pitch black stepped forth. He raised his head, his fiery spikes of hair swished as he combed a black gloved hand through them. His green eyes squinted in annoyance as he inspected his bright red hair, "Damn. I need to work on this portal thing. The static always makes my hair stick up in the weirdest angles."

She relaxed a miniscule amount, "Hello, Axel."

Axel's sharp green eyes swiveled back to focus on her, "Why are you being so stiff? I'm not here to drag you off somewhere where the sun doesn't shine."

"Sorry," Namine replied quietly as she went to throw away the ruined treats and wash her hands.

"Don't mention it," Axel said. He pulled up a bar stool by the tall, white alabaster counter, "So why have you locked yourself down here?"

Namine fought the urge to roll her blue eyes, "You felt the castle shake, right? Someone's angry."

"Oh, that," Axel shrugged nonchalantly, "I keep forgetting that you get scared easily."

Namine glared at him, her temper shortening uncharacteristically, "It's because I actually have a sense of self-preservation."

Axel grinned, showing her a row of sparkling white teeth, "There we go. That's the spirit. Lighten up a little and don't be so boring! You're just like Roxas sometimes."

Upon hearing Roxas' name, Namine removed her gaze from Axel as she turned to mop up the sink area.

Axel waited expectantly. He knew Namine would normally question him about Roxas. After all, she rarely got to see him. And when she did, it was when Roxas was under a serious sleeping drought so she could maintain Sora's dormant memories in him. She never knew the blonde-haired boy personally, but she wanted to. So it was strange enough that Namine had simply ignored Axel's bait.

"Hey, missy. Something's up. Why aren't you talking much today?"

Namine stopped mopping the dry sink, "What are you talking about?"

"I could be wrong, but it looks like you're planning something. You wouldn't want the others thinking you're up to something, now, would you?" he taunted.

"What!" Namine snapped. She quieted, seeing the triumphant smile on Axel's face, "What do you want, Axel? If you're willing to blackmail me into doing something, then tell me what it is already."

"Giving up so soon?" Axel asked innocently, though his words belied him, "Damn, those punishments must be pretty bad if you're willing to roll over and play dead already. You still have burns on your arms there."

Namine folded her arms, covering the raw, but healing blisters on her pale skin. She couldn't help but feel uncomfortable when Axel's eyes analyzed her so. He was one of the nicer nobodies in the castle, but he was still pretty heartless dredging up her bad memories sometimes. She had gotten those when she tried to escape Vexen's shiny, new lab instruments in his last experiment on her.

Ignoring her troubled expression, Axel plowed on, "Listen. I just want you to break a few rules, you know?"

"You've lost me," Namine sighed.

"You have to see Roxas tonight, right?" Axel continued, "Make sure Vexen doesn't give Roxas the sleeping potion. I don't know. Make him forget to give it to him or something."

Namine stared at him, "What are you saying? I can't do that! If Vexen or any of the other nobodies find out, then I'm done for."

Axel smirked back at her, "Well that's why I'm here. The others won't find out."

"Are you defying Organization XIII, Axel? You could land us both in hot water, or worse," Namine said quietly.

"You want to meet Roxas, don't you?"

"Yes, but not enough to go through Vexen's torture chamber again in the same week."

Axel frowned, standing up before striding over to Namine. His towering frame made her slightly nervous on the inside as he bent to face her. He brought an outstretched hand to her chin and peered right into her eyes, "Roxas can't stay here. The Organization is polluting him with their crap about how he can be whole if they acquire Kingdom Hearts. While that may be true for me and the other members, Roxas will disappear if Kingdom Hearts is opened."

Namine backed away, putting some distance between their bodies, "What do you mean?"

"You know the memories you're locking up inside of him without his knowledge? According to the prophecies, Sora will be at the doors to Kingdom Hearts right before it's opened by the princesses. I don't think Xemnas wanted you to know, but the purpose of keeping Sora's memories dormant inside Roxas is so that one day Roxas will give up his memories to Sora. When that happens, Sora won't be a half-heartless anymore, he'll be whole. But then Roxas will lose everything, and he really will become just a shell," Axel said, his eyes flaring up in anger.

Namine waited patiently for the rest. She did not really understand, so Axel continued to explain.

"Namine. Roxas and Sora have the same heart – they're connected by memories. With you locking up Sora's old memories inside Roxas, you're making the real Sora _believe_ Roxas is the original. If Sora's memories are returned while Roxas is still loyal to Xemnas… Xemnas will gain control over Sora, because Sora will believe in whatever Roxas believes in. Either way, Roxas would disappear. He would have served his purpose. That's why you need to stop locking those memories away and help me save Roxas."

Namine couldn't believe what she was hearing. It was confusing, and yet it was so awful beyond words once she finally understood. The nobodies were merely using Roxas as some kind of doll so they could manipulate Sora to their side. While she knew that the Organization had always had its own agenda, she never thought it would involve a betrayal of this magnitude. But Axel was one of the most elite nobodies. It was doubtful that his information would be false. And there was also that look in his eyes amidst the anger. She never thought a nobody could… feel.

"Axel," Namine began, "You know that if you desert Organization XIII, you might never be whole again. You'll lose the chance to reach Kingdom Hearts along with the rest of them."

"You say that like you know they're going to win," Axel spat, all traces of pleading replaced by bitterness, "But it's not over. I won't let them use Roxas like that."

"You'd sacrifice your own heart to save Roxas'?" Namine asked mildly.

Axel fixed a challenging, green-eyed glare on her, "You think I don't know the consequences?"

"Hang on a second," Namine placated, raising her hands in mock surrender. Though she appeared unaffected by his heated glare, there was a slight smile pulling at her lips, "I'll help you. I just never thought there was another nobody with a heart."

Axel relaxed, lifting a red eyebrow, "You're helping me, not because I threatened you, but because you think I have a soft spot?"

Namine nodded.

"Well don't get your hopes up, missy. Let me assure you that I _don't_ have a heart. But you and Roxas do," Axel closed his eyes, rubbing his forehead as he grimaced, "Sometimes even I wonder why I'm doing this. But Roxas is… the only friend I ever had."

Namine's expression softened, before she turned serious again, "So how are we going to save him?"

………

Namine felt her heart hammering in her ribcage as the hours ticked away into the night. Axel had requested that she make Vexen 'forget' to administer the sleeping drought in Roxas' dinner when Vexen walked into the kitchen that evening. She subtly changed his plans into grabbing some ice cream and going straight to his quarters for bed. The task had not been difficult in itself. It was the consequence of being found out that still hounded Namine in the back of her mind.

Now that Namine found herself following Axel to Roxas' floor with his untainted dinner, she couldn't help but feel giddy and nervous despite being afraid of the ever present dangers. She clenched the handles of the ornate, white tray as Axel tugged her behind him up the stairs. While Axel took precautions disabling the cameras as they ventured through the sleeping quarters, Namine reflected back to what he said about the dark portals.

Earlier, she had suggested that teleporting would be a whole a lot faster than having to creep about the castle floors like thieves. But Axel had explained to her how the other nobodies could sense who and what went in and out of the portals. She had no ability to call up a portal on her own, so if she was sensed traveling through one opened by Axel, both of them would be put under immediate suspicion.

Still… Namine thought, hadn't the nobodies ever thought of creating elevators? Stairs were a bit overrated, even if they had teleportation at their disposal. Her feet hurt pretty badly now.

Axel stopped suddenly, almost making Namine run into him with the tray. He turned to face a white door that Namine would not have noticed had she not been on high alert and paying attention. The door seemed to be a part of the wall itself. There wasn't even a handle.

Vexen had always been the one to teleport her into Roxas' room, so she had never seen it from the outside. He shot a sharp look at her, and whispered so that only she could hear him, "Roxas doesn't know a thing about you. He can sense me, but he won't recognize you."

"Why are you telling me this now?" Namine asked.

"Because he might attack you if you don't stick close," Axel said with a straight face.

Namine tried not to pale as cold sweat dripped down her spine. From what she knew, Roxas was an excellent fighter – and a deadly one at that. Axel had taken the time to tell her a little more about Roxas while they sat around in the kitchen. She often heard about Sora from the other nobodies, and knew of his wicked fighting skills and methods when dealing death. Compared to Sora though, Roxas sounded like he could defeat him with one hand tied behind his back. Roxas used duel keyblades when Sora only had one. But then again, Axel was the one telling her about Roxas. He could have been appraising his friend's skills for all she knew.

But judging the solemn look on Axel's face, she had to think otherwise.

With an inaudible sound, the almost invisible door slid aside, revealing a deep abyss of darkness behind it. Namine could hardly believe it led to Roxas' bed quarters. From what she remembered, this definitely hadn't been what she expected.

Axel put a hand behind her back and pushed her inside before him, "Come on, Namine. We don't have all night."

Stumbling into the darkness, Namine righted herself and straightened the contents on the tray the best she could. Blinking, she tried to adjust her eyes to the sudden blackness. She had been in Roxas' room before, when he had been heavily sedated, but at least the light had been on then.

So why was it so dark when he was supposed to be awake?

"Roxas. Quit being a vampire and turn on the lights already. You're scaring the crap out of the missy," Axel huffed irritably. There was a brief silence before the lights turned on.

Namine almost screamed, for Roxas had been standing so close yet she had not even noticed his presence in the dark. He stood mere centimeters from the tray she clutched in her hands. How was he not even one step away from her and yet completely undetectable? He was not someone she wanted to run into in the middle of the night, especially if he had come to kill her.

She shuddered at the thought.

But aside from the initial fear that he had roused in her, she couldn't deny that he was every bit as beautiful as he was when he had been asleep. His golden blonde hair fell slightly in the way of his brilliant, sky blue eyes – the eyes that she had never seen before. She blinked, holding his piercing gaze. Despite having to tilt her head back, she refused to take her eyes away from his. He intimidated her, but she would not show him her fear so she kept her face as expressionless as possible. If he thought he could make her step back by glaring at her, he had another thing coming.

Axel yawned, walking past Namine and looping an arm over Roxas' shoulder, "All right already. Cut it out you two. I didn't sneak Namine up here past security so that the two of you could have a glaring contest. If I didn't know better, I'd say you guys were sizing each other up."

Roxas looked away from Namine, and settled on unnerving Axel with his eyes, "Why are you visiting me so late at night?"

Namine felt her heart skip beat when she heard Roxas speak. It was like she recognized the cool baritone, though she could have sworn that she never heard it before. There was something about him than got under her skin, because she couldn't figure him out. He wasn't like the others.

Axel took the tray of food from Namine's hands, "Don't tell me you're not hungry."

"I'm not," Roxas said flatly.

"Jeeez. What's with you two? You guys even talk alike. You're so boring Roxas!" Axel whined as he tried to plant a noogie on the blonde-haired boy.

Namine watch as he deftly avoided Axel's hand, a slight grin making its way onto his face. But it was gone before she could really register it clearly. As irrational as it was, Namine wished she could see the almost-smile again. She stood stock still as Roxas walked over to his black and white checkered bed and sat down on it. Axel followed and sat next to him.

"You never answered my question, Axel," Roxas spoke again. While he addressed Axel, he sent another calculating look at Namine.

"Oh, right," Axel said somewhat sheepishly, "Actually, I wanted you to know about Namine. And no, it's not just because she's a pretty girl."

Roxas was not really listening as he continued to scrutinize Namine from a distance. Suddenly feeling very naked, she flexed her fingers before crossing her arms over her chest. With an almost inaudible sigh, she turned away from them.

"Namine?"

Namine knew Roxas had addressed her directly this time, but she made no move to acknowledge him. He had been pretty rude as far as she knew, and she was just giving him a piece of her mind the silent way.

"Are you… Are you somehow the same as Kairi?" he asked. If she wasn't mistaken, she could hear a hopeful tone in his voice. Casting a look over her shoulder at him, she could see the same hopefulness in his softening expression. There was no doubt that he knew Kairi because he had Sora's childhood memories. Annoyance festered inside Namine when she thought about Kairi.

"I am no more the same as Kairi, as you are the same as Sora," she replied quietly.

"So you're like me too. A nobody," Roxas asked, the stony look fitting itself back over his unguarded face.

She couldn't help but feel bad for him. He knew Kairi by memory, but he had never actually met her. He suffered because his memories were false, and because his purpose was to disappear in the end. Namine sympathized because she too would disappear once she had no purpose left. Only… Roxas didn't know of his fate. Yet.

And he didn't know that there was a way to save him.

Glancing at Axel, the two exchanged questioning looks, wondering how they were going to break the news to him. Namine sighed, knowing she had to begin somehow without sugar-coating anything. If they wanted to save Roxas from Xemnas, to save him from disappearing, he had to know the beginning of _**his**_ story, and not Sora's.

"You…" Namine began softly, hesitating. The sadness was apparent in her face and tone now. She sighed. There was no easy way to say it.

"You were never supposed to exist, Roxas."

………

………

………

**A/N:** Just wanted to shout out to the past reviewers so far. You guys really mean a lot when you send me encouraging messages. I know I'm far from consistent given the circumstances, but you have definitely done a lot to keep me going. Don't ever doubt your influence upon this story. And I really must thank those of you who have decided to share this story with other people. It really pleases me to hear that you guys care enough to share it. You guys are the best!

Stay tuned for the next chapter then. :)

………

………

………

**Question(s) of the Chapter:**

Should I make this story a Namine/Roxas as well, despite having Kairi and Sora as the main couple?

**My Answer:**

I started writing this story before Roxas and Namine were really introduced in the games, so their characters just kind of… showed up along the way in here. I've really come to like them as a couple (see my story _**Deja Blue**_.) I'm bordering on making their romance a little deeper in here, but I haven't decided on how deep yet.

………

………

………

Shout out to my Chapter 20 reviewers: Ellie0223 , CerberAsta** , **Aqua-Sirena , kingdomfantasyanime453 , Gox19 , allyson , KhanomAna , timekeeper1824 , Kairi1624 , soralover101 , Iridaceae , Princess Io , Silverbx , Daiana , XIIIOrder , pinktonks , MoonCastic , FlyingLavaDragon , Raxan , sakuno55 , kristine , wee , RoxasxLoverxDarius , an-chan , watercircle , shadowfox908 , LightCreatesShadow , alice , AquaFlameElementalist , whyme55577 , Hikoru, Aniki , Hinata-chan 63 , and ScattereD59DreamS .

………

………

………


	22. Second to Nobody

………

………

………

Chapter 22

………

………

………

Author: Kintora

………

**A/N:** I haven't gotten around to writing for this in a while, so I can imagine it's been quite a wait. Hope you guys haven't forgotten what's been going on. I can't believe this story has been in the works for five years and counting now. If you double back, you can definitely see a change in my writing style. It's almost embarrassing.

Enjoy the chapter guys.

………

………

………

"What do you know?" Roxas asked coldly, all trace of warmth completely gone from his voice. His blue eyes were narrowed as he stared sharply at her. They resembled twin chips of ice – so cold was his glare that Namine felt her insides freezing up with dread, as if she were waiting to be torn limb by limb. She could feel goose bumps rising on her skin, and for a second, she feared for her life. Finally finding the intensity unbearably painful, she was forced to look away.

Based on his white knuckled fists, Namine had to wonder if he would have struck her if she had not looked so much like Kairi. At least, that was Kairi's saving grace, Namine thought in irony. The sudden thought left a bittersweet taste in her mouth.

Roxas continued harshly, not letting Namine respond, "You're just a nobody like me, and a weak one at that. If anything, it's you who should not exist."

Axel had been silent while the exchange had been made, but now he found himself stepping in, "Namine's risking a lot just being here. So just shut up a moment and listen to her, will you?"

"But he's right, Axel," Namine looked balefully down at her scarred arms, "I shouldn't exist either."

Namine's gentle voice shocked the three of them into silence, even herself. She worked her jaw to speak again, almost disbelieving that she was the one talking, "In fact, I'm going to disappear once this is all over. I'm just here to tell you that you don't have to disappear like me. There _is_ a way to save you. That's why Axel brought me here to talk to you, face to face."

The anger was ebbing away from Roxas, and deep down, he felt regret for speaking to her so harshly. But he still had no idea what she was talking about. "I don't get it. What are you trying to say?"

"It's not safe for you to stay here, Roxas," Namine stated firmly, "You have to get away, far away."

Roxas was about to interrupt her again, when Axel butt in, "Listen buddy. If you remain as Xemnas' lap dog from now to the time Kingdom Hearts is opened, you're done for. Gone. Poof. Like some scattered dream that can't be put back together."

"Roxas," Namine said more softly, bringing his attentive, but skeptical eyes back to her, "Xemnas is lying to you. He always has! I wouldn't have known my part either if Axel hadn't told me. You don't know me, but I've always known you. Xemnas, Vexen… They forced me to lock Sora's memories inside you and maintain them now and then while you slept. You never knew, because Xemnas wanted it that way."

Roxas glanced at Axel. Upon seeing his best friend nod in confirmation, he couldn't help but sigh as he put his forehead in his hand, trying to fight away the doubts. Namine saw that she was making progress with him, so she continued with the groundbreaking revelations that Axel had given her earlier that evening.

"Xemnas and Ansem used to work together a long time ago. Just when they were about to catch the seventh Princess of Heart, everything fell apart and greed took over. Each of them wanted Kingdom Hearts for his own, so they created different factions to oppose each other. In the meantime, Ansem stole Sora. But Xemnas stole Kairi, as well as the part of Sora's heart that housed all of Sora's memories."

Namine took a break, making sure Roxas was still following along, "Xemnas then had his best scientists create you, Roxas. Because you share the same heart as Sora, what you believe in affects him too. By keeping your trust while returning Sora's memories to him before Kingdom Hearts is opened – Xemnas will ultimately attain Sora's loyalty and his power. But when you have served your purpose, you will disappear."

"No way…." Roxas sat staring at the pale marble floor, as if it was about to open up and swallow him.

"Suck it up, man," Axel said gravely, patting his friend on the back, "The truth hurts more than a bitch like Larxene. But the main thing we have to do is save your ass while there's still time."

Roxas shook his head before sit up right again, pulling himself together. He looked at his black-gloved hands as if seeing them in a different light. While he kept quiet, Axel and Namine shared another anxious look. The poor boy hadn't taken it well of course, but at least he was considering what they told him.

Looking at Namine, he finally spoke up again.

"I have a question for you."

"And what's that?" Namine asked cautiously.

Roxas studied her for a moment longer. "Say I do decide to trust you and escape. What will happen to you and Axel?"

Axel answered before Namine could even open her mouth, "Obviously, I'm going with you. I'm not about to let my buddy have all the fun without me around. As for Namine…"

"I have to stay here," she said, looking at her feet, "If I go with you two, I'll only jeopardize you. At least here, I can bide you guys some time to get as far away as possible. I don't know how long it'll work, but I can probably mix up their memories a little and…"

"No."

Namine snapped her gaze up to look at Roxas in surprise. Axel, too, had an astonished look on his face. She swallowed thickly, "That's the only choice. I can't help you any other way."

"Then we'll stay here until you can go," Roxas said, his eyes challenging her to question him, "We can't just leave you here now. If they find out you're betraying them, imagine what else they'll do to you."

Namine suppressed a shiver, but Roxas caught the slight tremble of her body. He wasn't blind. He saw the burns. He saw the red restraint marks on her wrists, neck, and ankles. Even though he believed in swift justice, regardless who his enemy was, the other nobodies had different tastes in how to kill people. So it didn't surprise him to see torture wounds. But seeing them on Namine stirred up a sick feeling in his gut.

From what he could tell, she didn't deserve any of it. Despite his initial distrust towards her, he could see that she was being honest.

"It's not likely they would kill me," Namine responded flatly. But to Roxas, something about the way she disregarded her own safety bothered him. She didn't seem to care about herself at all.

Tension pulsed inside the room as Namine struggled not to get upset. Couldn't he see what a stubborn idiot he was being?

She said she was going to help, and she would. She would take the consequences for her actions with her head held high, even if she was left screaming for a couple of days. But he was making that extremely difficult to do if he wouldn't comply. After letting out a sigh, Namine relented a little.

"Let's say that you do stay. What will you do? You can't defeat Xemnas and all the other nobodies with just you, Axel, and me."

"We don't have to defeat him. At least, not now," Roxas explained, "We can just pretend to go along with Xemnas' plans. When you come to seal Sora's memories in me, you can just pretend to do so. And I'll pretend that I've never heard of you. Axel can be our middle man."

"Jeez, thanks," Axel muttered.

Seeing that Roxas couldn't be persuaded, Namine let him be. But she was still concerned about their circumstances, "What about Vexen? He's the one who administers the sleeping droughts."

"Let him," Roxas said, "I'll just pretend to pass out. It's that or you can pretend to tamper with my memories while I sleep."

"You're going to have to be a great actor to pull this off," she finally consented.

"It's now or never," Roxas agreed. He studied her a little longer, finally asking the question that was really on his mind, "Why are you helping me, Namine?" Even Axel, who had been oddly quiet for the most part of the conversation, cast a curious glance at Namine's placid face.

She walked over to the bed and sat down farther away from them, "Logically, I have no reason to risk getting into so much trouble, but I feel like I have to. Or, maybe it's because I just want to. I feel like you should live on, not disappear."

"What about you? You'd disappear too," Roxas leaned forward with his elbows on his knees.

"That's not the point. I will disappear regardless once Kingdom Hearts is opened," Namine said sadly, "Like you, Xemnas had me created. I'm not Kairi, but I do share part of her heart. My only purpose is to help fulfill your purpose. And your purpose is to return Sora's memories. So it doesn't matter if I help you or not, I'll still disappear."

Roxas opened his mouth again to disagree, but Namine shook her head. She continued, "I'm not important. But you are, Roxas, because there is still a chance for you to survive and be," she struggled for the right word, "…happy. At least one of us will live to see to it."

Roxas stared at her wordlessly as he watched her flick invisible lint off of her snow white dress. Somehow, he wondered if she was willing her deepest wish for herself to come true for him.

And somehow, he found himself hoping for her to have a chance too.

………

Namine remembered holding her breath around Vexen the whole week after visiting Roxas with Axel. Luckily, things seemed to work out just fine, since he never asked her about any of it. He just carried on experimenting on her like usual, then waiting the allotted time period for her injuries to heal. In the mean time, he was probably planning out another one to do on her at a later date.

But for now, she was excited to visit Roxas again that night. This time, Axel wouldn't be going with her since Vexen would be the one taking her. She wanted very much to rearrange Vexen's memory so that he would not accompany her, but it was too risky, doing the same trick twice in a row. What if someone asked Vexen about Roxas? What if Vexen found out she was toying with his memories?

She really didn't want to know the consequences for that.

But… She really wanted to talk to Roxas alone, with just the two of them, even if he was sleeping while she was the one talking. Namine frowned as she drew a red pencil over the crisp white paper in front of her. Maybe it might just work, provided she didn't do it often and Vexen wasn't aware of anything.

She could insert fake memories into Vexen's mind – make him 'remember' that he was with her while she visited Roxas. Now that she didn't have to tamper with Roxas' memories anymore, she could focus her memory spells on Vexen and the other nobodies aside from Axel.

The tip of Namine's red pencil snapped as she pressed down too hard. She reached for a different colored pencil.

Now that she got started thinking about it, she couldn't stop herself. It was possible but highly improbable. Tampering with one person's memories was within her power. But if she were to risk it… Tampering with the memories of eleven other high level nobodies _and_ maintaining their fake memories were almost out of question. She could exhaust herself and then what? Vexen would know for sure that she was up to no good.

Namine set down the pencil, unable to draw any more. She had never felt such desperation. And for what? It was all to see some boy who she barely knew. It sounded ridiculous enough, but she couldn't pull herself away from the thought.

She wanted to see Roxas. She felt like she knew him.

Maybe it was because they were both nobodies of Kairi and Sora. It hurt to think that everything she did and everything she wanted was a lie – that she was only doing all of this for Roxas because of Kairi's feelings for Sora. Namine wasn't stupid; she knew that much about the prophecy.

Namine felt the darkness in the room before she heard Vexen's gruff voice.

"Hurry up, Namine. Roxas should have eaten his dinner already," Vexen glared condescendingly at her, "I'd have you help me in the lab, but today is one of your days off."

Namine pushed away from the long, white table and walked towards Vexen – still torn between what she should do and what she wanted to do.

Vexen sneered cattily at her, "Of course, I have you all tomorrow and perhaps the day after if you last. We still need to wrap up the shock memory experiment. We were close last time – I was almost able to generate images on those monitors from your mind. What fun it would be, if it were to succeed."

Namine bent her head submissively as Vexen pulled her into the dark portal. But under her blonde bangs, her eyes were wide, blue, and blank. She felt Vexen soften his grip on her arm, as if he was suddenly lost in thought.

For tonight, she would be with Roxas alone.

………

Vexen left Namine inside of Roxas' room. Once traces of the dark portal vanished and he disappeared out of sight, she breathed a sigh of relief, leaning against the double doors. The lights were on, and she could see Roxas sleeping peacefully on his bed. Seeing him so soundly relaxed made her smile a bit, glad that she had succeeded in her plan.

Namine froze.

Well… partially succeeded. Now she had no idea had to sneak back downstairs without getting caught by security cameras, or worse – by other nobodies. She almost groaned at her stupidity. She should have thought it out further.

But she didn't come all the way, only to despair at her lack of planning. She came here to talk to him.

Walking closer, Namine took in the room with more detail. It was rather sparse, even for a nobody. She had seen Larxene's room before, and it was probably one of the messier rooms. Not that she saw any other nobodies' rooms, but she didn't think there was much they wanted to possess.

What would she know? She was only a special, but lower-ranked nobody.

Finding nowhere to sit, Namine opted to sit on the corner of Roxas' bed. She sank down on it, feeling the silence pressing in on her. His breaths were deep and even – the only sound in the room. Chancing a glance down at him, she couldn't help but admire him as she had many times before. Only this time, she was free to take her time.

She waved her fingers over his face, but his breathing didn't hitch. He was definitely out for sure.

"It's dangerous for me to be doing this, but I really just wanted to talk to you again. We don't really know each other that well, so I thought I'd introduce myself more thoroughly – even if you are asleep."

Making sure there was no change in him, Namine relaxed some more and continued, "Neither of us asked for this kind of existence. I can understand your anger and hurt about the whole thing. I'm just sorry I was the one who had to break it to you."

She sighed, looking away from his calm, sleeping face. "Axel is definitely right though. We have to get you out of here," she smiled to herself. "Even if I found out about the truth some other way, I still wouldn't want you to disappear. You know… The two of us were supposed to be the only nobodies able to feel, but Axel really cares about you. He told me that you were his only friend. For that, he was willing to stick by you."

"I don't know much about having friends," Namine admitted quietly, "But I understand it is quite a gift to have someone willing to be by your side. You're really lucky, Roxas."

She leaned back, supporting her weight behind her with her arms. "One day, when you do escape, I want you to make as many friends as you can. Don't follow the rules of isolation they hold so dearly here. In this place where there is no trust, there is no happiness. But I'm sure you already know that if you have a friend in Axel."

"And I think I am a little jealous of you," Namine laughed to herself, "We're both special nobodies, but I will always be second to you. You are strong and you can fight. You even have a friend. You are considered high ranking and respected… Sometimes I wish I were feared and formidable like you. Then Vexen wouldn't be able to do whatever he wants to me."

She shuddered, remembering the hole in her plan. "Speaking of Vexen, I'll probably be in trouble now. I tampered with his memories and got myself here. But now I have no clue how to get back without being found out." She smacked her forehead and bent her head down.

"Maybe I can help you with that," a voice spoke up.

Namine jumped, and barely suppressed a squeak as her heart rate sped up. She quickly looked down at Roxas, and saw that his sky blue eyes were trained on her. Her mind scrambled to come up with something to say while her cheeks flamed with embarrassment. But all she could do was gap mutely, her gray-blue eyes widening.

"I'm not going to make fun of you," Roxas replied, sitting up. He pulled off his checkered covers, revealing him in a t-shirt and shorts. "I wasn't sure why Vexen left you here on your own so I stayed quiet."

Namine blinked, still blushing furiously. "I thought you were really asleep."

"Didn't you say I had to be a damn good actor to pull this off? I'm holding my end of the deal, so that leaves you. What were you thinking, messing around like that?" He asked flatly.

"I just wanted to talk," Namine mumbled.

"Yeah, I heard that part," Roxas said, though he spoke without malice.

Namine shrugged, looking away.

Roxas frowned, running a hand through his blonde, disheveled hair. "You were talking enough for two people just until minute ago. What's making you clam up now?"

"You," Namine said, a little crossly. She walked to the other side of the room; not liking the tension that had suddenly risen up between them. "It was so much easier talking to you when you were asleep – or pretending to sleep."

"Do you want me to play dead again?" Roxas asked, sounding amused.

Namine turned around, catching his slight grin. She blinked. No, it was still there. It wasn't a real smile, but it was there. She didn't know why her heart suddenly decided to stop when just a second ago, it was beating like there was no tomorrow. She coughed into her hand, trying to steady her heart, "No, that's okay."

Roxas looked at the clock above his double doors. "Well we've got a while until morning. When do you need to go back?"

"Until nine tomorrow… Vexen doesn't fetch me until noon," she stared down at her feet and leaned against the wall.

"…What does he do to you?"

Namine looked up, startled at his question. His eyes bore into hers, and she found it hard to hold his gaze. "The same things he tried on Kairi. They're usually… quite painful." She looked down again.

"He tortured Kairi?" Roxas asked, sounding furious.

"Yes," Namine squirmed, twisting her hands. She added hastily, sensing his glare return tenfold, "But you come to endure it after a while. It's not as painful if your mind is focused somewhere else." What was she saying?

What was she trying to say?

"That's not an excuse."

Namine recoiled back against the wall, just noticing that Roxas was suddenly standing mere inches away, and too close for comfort. She hadn't even seen or heard him move! What was he, a phantom? She shivered. Before she knew it though, her legs were suddenly swept up from underneath her.

Her body turned to stone, her mind uncomprehending. One second she was standing on her own, and the next she was in his arms. By the time she realized what was happening, she was on his bed with her head on his pillow. Namine was about to scramble back up again, when Roxas suddenly lay down beside her, and put an arm over her waist. And to make matters worse, the lights went out. The room was suddenly cast into darkness, and with it, her hope of finding her way around.

His arm wrapped around her waist and tucked her against his side, making her freeze again. Her eyes were wide and unseeing in the dark as she clutched at his comforter.

"Will you relax already?" he grumbled, "I figured you needed your sleep too. You look like you haven't slept in days."

Namine swallowed, "I haven't."

"Why not?"

If it were even possible, she stiffened up even more, "I can't sleep. My dreams are always terrifying."

All was silent, and Namine wondered if he had chosen to fall asleep. When she tried to pry his arm from around her waist, she felt his muscles flex as he tightened his grip around her even more.

"For once," Roxas spoke up, his breath warm on her neck, "Don't be afraid. Nobody will hurt you tonight. Now go to sleep."

Namine hardly knew how she found herself in Roxas' bed and in his arms, when only two weeks ago, he had never even known she'd existed. As strange as it was, Namine could not find it unpleasant. Slowly, she began to relax, as if her body were turning to putty in his arms. It wasn't so bad… being held this way, though she didn't dare get used to it.

One minute, she had been terrified of him for she knew he was dangerous.

But only in his arms did she feel safe.

………

………

………

**A/N:** I know Sora and Kairi didn't make an appearance in this chapter, but I just really wanted to work on the whole Roxas and Namine part of the story. Their characters needed some character building, and their roles will be pivotal later on. Other than that, I can't tell you what else will happen. Rest assured though, Sora and Kairi will show up in the next chapter. I haven't forgotten about them.

………

………

………

**Question(s) of the Chapter:**

Do you have a cell phone – if so, what kind is it?

**My Answer:**

I used to have an old Motorola Razor, but its battery kept dying on me. Since I had it for a few years, I finally let it go and got myself a new one. Now I have a sleek little Samsung Sway, and it rocks. Draw back? It has no hole for a cell phone strap. :(

………

………

………

Many thanks to my Chapter 21 reviewers: pinktonks, Si-Sidera, DivineSunSHiNE., ScattereD59DreamS, paopu-cat, Meep Forever, timekeeper1824, whyme55577, CerberAsta, Sora's GuardianAngel, Deliahgirl, RoxasxLoverxDarius, Hikoru, Aniki, Meeva, and Manga-Fanatic.

………

………

………


	23. Land of Dreamscapes

………

………

………

Chapter 23

………

………

………

Author: Kintora

………

**A/N:** Roxas and Namine have a way of really motivating me here. They really make a great couple. I'm really conflicted about doing a little arc for them. While I'd love to do that, it's impossible to just put Sora and Kairi aside for now. They're pretty much... acquainted with each other, but that just makes it look like Roxas and Namine need to go on their own little adventure. So viola! They just might. Sooner or later, at least.

Just thought you guys would like a little heads up. But again, don't worry about Sora and Kairi. I haven't forgotten them. They're gonna make an appearance in this chapter like a I promised – well, one of them will.

………

………

………

Namine blinked her eyes, not recognizing the place she found herself in. The world was not completely white nor black – it was nothing like she was used to. All her life, as brief as it has been so far, she had never stepped foot outside of the Nobodies' castle, the Head Quarters. And now, she was surrounded by fine gray sand stretching indefinitely in one direction and sea of black water in the other. The sky hung low and dark with only a dead moon in the sky.

The chill breeze tickled her barely covered back, raising the fine hairs on her skin. She suppressed the shiver crawling up her spine as she looked around at the strange black structures jutting up towards the sky. They cast long, eerie shadows that seemed to go on forever.

Namine couldn't fathom how she even got to where she was. In fact, the more she thought about it, the less she remembered where she even came from. The longer she listened to the slow beck and call of the black ocean tide, the less she thought of anything. All she wanted to do was walk into its bottomless, airless depths and sleep.

She hardly noticed herself standing directly between the fine line between the land and the sea, the sand and the ocean. Two worlds. Two roads that had somehow met and split. Which one she chose – she would never know. Namine closed her eyes, ready to succumb to the numbness that was ebbing from her chest to her arms and legs... to her head.

_Free..._

_You'll be free..._

The sounds of the waves crashing along the shoreline sounded so soft, so promising. Surely, it was the only way to go.

Namine looked down at her feet, just realizing that the sandals she normally wore were gone. The wet, gray sand felt nice and cold between her toes as she drew closer and closer to the endless black ocean. The surface caught little flecks of the moon's dead light, and soon she couldn't even tell if she was staring into a sea of black or a sea of white. Her feet sauntered forward, step by step... by step...

A hand gripped her arm, suddenly dragging her back between the ocean and the land. Namine stumbled in the wet sand and almost fell if she hadn't snapped out of her reverie fast enough to catch herself.

"Never go into the ocean."

Namine wrenched her arms away and took several steps back, trying to remember why she was there. She glared at the hooded figure. "Who are you?" she asked sternly.

"Someone who can see better than most," the young man replied as he lowered the black cowl he wore.

Namine glared at him, "Could you be more specific? What's your name?"

"Names don't matter here."

She was surprised by how angry his cryptic answers were making her. Normally, she was quiet and reserved. _There must something about this world_, Namine thought looking around briefly before facing him again. She studied the man, trying to decipher his age, or who he was. But try as she might, she couldn't place the silver hair or pale skin. And there was no way she could see his eyes, for they were blindfolded. For some reason, she knew that even though he looked blind, he could see her exactly as she was.

"You said you see better than most," she tried another approach, "What did you mean by that?"

The young man smirked, turning to face the vast ocean, "Now that's more like it. This world is a made solely of darkness and light. However, darkness is more alluring than light here. It draws peoples' hearts like a beacon of light, ironically enough. It nearly got you this time."

Namine looked at him as if he had sprouted horns and tail. And somehow, she understood the danger he was warning her about.

"You're here because you're at a crossroad, trying to make the right decision. I came here too to make mine. But I got too close to the darkness." He pointed to his covered eyes.

"Why are you telling me all this?" Namine finally asked, getting tired of his cryptic words.

"You want to save him, don't you?" the man asked, further bewildering her, "The one you've always watched from a distance, but never had the chance to show how much you care."

Namine felt her breath seize. This guy... he can't know about how she felt towards Roxas. She didn't even know who she was talking to!

But just what did she feel?

"You would do anything to save him. You would even throw your life away," the young, blindfolded man said knowingly, "But by resigning yourself to that, you've already given up on yourself – betrayed yourself."

"What do you know!" Namine snapped, finally provoked, "You don't know me." _I'm not worth knowing_, Namine thought. She closed her eyes, trying to ignore her thoughts.

"I know, because I was drawn to the ocean too. The only difference is I had no one to pull me back."

Chills crawled up her spine, making Namine shiver this time. "Are you saying you betrayed yourself?" she asked.

"I did," he nodded, drawing his hood back on, "But at the cost of betraying who I wanted to protect the most."

"Did she..." Namine started, wondering how she knew it was a girl, "Did she forgive you?"

He turned his face to her, and gave her a half smile, "Yes. But I haven't forgiven myself. That's why I'm here for now, so I can decide."

Namine frowned, "Thanks for the warning, but I think I know what _you_ should do."

The dark figure chuckled, "Oh? And what's that?"

"Find a better place to think," she offered, looking around the depressing dreamscape, "And just forgive yourself already."

The young man was about to say something else to her when the world dissipated and she found herself in her room – the stark white room with her drawing table. Her only company were a couple of drawings taped to the wall and a vase full of white lilies. There was no door to come in or go out from. There was only a large window with sheer white drapes.

Namine blinked, realizing she had somehow made her way to the dreamscape she used when maintaining Roxas' memories. The drawings on the four walls weren't just any drawings. They were pieces of Sora's memories.

Normally, Roxas would be sitting at the other end of the table across from her. He'd be sleeping in the dreamscape like the way he was in the real world while she worked on her sketches of Sora's memories. But tonight, she would do no such thing. She had decided that she'd pretend to do her job for Roxas' sake. Besides, he wasn't even in the room tonight to begin with.

Getting up, Namine got up from her seat and crossed the room towards the wide windows. Pressing a hand to the cool glass, she squinted against the light shining in. There was nothing to see. Just white... everywhere. Empty.

She wondered if disappearing would be better or worse.

"Namine?"

Namine whirled around, not used to hearing her name in the confines of this room. She blinked.

"Roxas?"

Roxas looked warily around him before he started to walk over towards her. "What is this place?"

Namine shrugged off the shock of seeing him there. "It's a dreamscape I created a long time ago..." she crossed her arms, facing the windows again, "Don't worry. There's nothing here. Even Xemnas can't find this place."

"What do you mean?" he asked, stopping beside her.

"It's a place I created in my mind. I used to bring you here when you were sleeping," Namine explained, feeling a little guilty.

Roxas nodded, though he felt like his brain was positively buzzing with a million questions for her. Instead, he opted to walk around the room to examine the sketches taped hazardously to the walls. The more he looked at the rough blobs of color, the more he realized he was staring at the fragments of Sora's childhood memories. They were all memories that Roxas had – memories that didn't really belong to him.

Unable to look at the pictures any longer, he turned back to Namine. It was then that he realized she had been staring at him with a slightly anxious look.

"You look like you did something wrong," Roxas muttered, running a hand through his hair, "I'm not going to yell at you or anything."

"I..." Namine swallowed, "I only wish I knew sooner what Xemnas was planning. If I did... If didn't just follow along blindly..."

"It's not your fault, Namine," Roxas assured her, pulling out a chair to sit on. He motioned for her to do the same.

Namine sat down again. "I know."

"Maybe you can answer some questions for me then," Roxas began, not liking the uncomfortable silence, "I'm still having trouble understanding all of this. How is it that Sora lost his memories in the first place?"

Namine shuddered. "It's a complicated story."

"Well, I'm listening."

"He was..." Namine tried to form the words she wanted to say, "I just know that he was almost killed. He lost half his heart and all of his memories. He would have become a mindless heartless, but he didn't. I don't know all the details after that though. I just know how you were created."

"And?" Roxas asked, not really knowing if he did or didn't want to know. Namine gave him a look that said, 'You asked for it,' before she continued speaking.

"The shadow assassin, Sora, is not the complete Sora. Somehow, in the war between the Nobodies and the Shadows, his memories and the missing half of his heart were collected by Xemnas. He and his nobody scientists created you using Sora's missing half. They planned to use you, as Axel and I have already explained."

A frown pulled over Roxas' face. There were a lot of questions bothering him. He sighed, finally asking her,"Since the Shadow Hearts haven't actually come after me, do you think Ansem doesn't know I exist?"

"Maybe," Namine said, "Or maybe they think Sora's other half is dead – that you're dead."

Roxas mulled the information over. "Either way, you're saying that... Sora's neither human nor a heartless, and that I'm neither human nor a nobody – but together, the two of us make up the same person."

"That sounds about right."

"What's the catch?" Roxas asked, catching her off guard.

"Catch?" Namine titled her head in thought.

Roxas shrugged, "From what I hear, Sora's existence is volatile. At any time, he can change into a full heartless. What's to say that I won't lose myself too? Like him, my existence is just as volatile. Even you said that we nobodies with hearts were destined to disappear."

"No!" Namine suddenly stood up, almost knocking over her chair. She blushed when she realized her actions. Her hand shook slightly, but she just hid them behind her. "What I meant is that I will disappear. You still have a chance to avoid the purpose you were created for–"

"You're afraid," he cut her off, though his eyes held no amusement – just sympathy, "What is it you really want?"

"I don't..." Namine bit her trembling lip, "I don't want you to disappear. There has to be a way out of this pointless existence." She put her head in her hands and wept. "I don't want to disappear!"

Standing up, Roxas walked around the table and sat down beside her. "Namine, I'm going to find a way for the both of us. I don't want you to disappear either."

She looked up at him, seeing him smile at her for the first time. If she could she would look at his face forever, imprinting his soft expression in mind. Namine scrubbed her face, trying to be strong. If she wasn't strong, then she really would be useless. If she wasn't strong, how could she expect him to count on her?

"You're right," she said quietly, still trying to wipe the lingering tears away, "I'm sorry. It's just... I'm just frustrated."

Roxas looked uneasy, like he wanted to say something but was hesitating. It wasn't like him to feel torn over what to do. He was usually pretty quick at making decisions. If he wasn't, he would have already died in battle many times over. And yet when he was around her, every word counted.

"I have an idea. It may make seeing each other a lot easier," he spoke up suddenly, "I'm worried about the long term consequences of tampering with Vexen's memories. But since Xemnas and Vexen can't possibly hear us in here, this place can be our meeting ground. That way, they won't suspect a thing."

Namine nodded, "It just might work."

"Sort of like our own hangout," he agreed, "Axel will be pretty jealous when he hears about this."

"It's not like you have to tell him," Namine said a little nervously.

Roxas lifted an eyebrow. "He's not going to tell anyone else. You can trust him."

"Yeah... I know," she cleared her throat, "Anyway, I get the feeling that it's almost time to go. Vexen won't be happy if he can't find me."

Roxas frowned, disliking the thought of letting Namine go back. While her wounds didn't appear on her body in the dream, they were very real in the real world. And no matter how much he tried, he couldn't ignore the uneasiness inside him. He wanted to convince her that she didn't have to go, but decided against it.

Namine smiled gently at him, "Just close your eyes. We'll be back in your room soon."

………

"Knock it off will you? I'm not an invalid!" Yuffie snapped as she waved away Leon's hands.

Leon fought the urge to roll his eyes, "You broke your leg when you hit the wall, so Aerith doesn't want you on it just yet. Magic and potions can only do so much."

Yuffie growled at him before turning her head towards Kairi, "Come on, Kai! A little help here?"

Kairi almost laughed, but hid it with a cough as she snuggled under her sheets, "Well, uh, why don't you just take the time to get some extra sleep?"

"But I'm BORED," Yuffie whined. She pointed at her ribs, "And see? My ribs are all better and it's only been two days!"

Just then, Aerith walked in with two trays of food, "Ribs are easier to heal, Yuffie. You not only broke your leg – it was fractured. That means more bed rest and no more complaining out of you."

As Aerith and Leon continued to argue with Yuffie, Kairi found herself staring at the ceiling in thought. Sora had left after she had drifted off to sleep. She hadn't seen him since then, and she was almost worried that she had dreamed up most of it – like the kiss. Just thinking about it made her face go red.

Aerith set Kairi's tray of food on the bed stand beside her before sitting down on the edge of her bed.

"How are you feeling, Kairi?" she asked, her green eyes examining Kairi's flushed face.

"Better," Kairi said quietly as she picked up her cup of tea.

"Kairi..." Aerith began slowly, "What happened with Ansem the other day..."

Kairi swallowed thickly as Leon and Yuffie paused their banter. Aerith continued gently, "I know it's a little soon to break this to you, but the time may be coming sooner than we expected."

"What are you talking about?"

Leon shook his head, "Aerith, don't you think it's too soon?"

"No, I don't," Aerith said firmly, "If we don't tell her now, when will we? You saw what happened the other day. The time to act is now."

"And you're choosing to explain it now...?" Leon asked narrowing his gray eyes at her.

"Why not?" Aerith replied evenly, "This is the best time to do so. The infirmary isn't bugged with listening devices like the other rooms. And we all have reasons to be here, so there won't be any suspicion. Besides, most of us are here."

Yuffie gulped, looking nervously at the closed door, "I don't know, Aerith... Cloud's not going to be a happy duck."

"When is he _ever?_" Leon muttered under his breath.

Kairi looked between the three of them, trying to piece the missing parts of the conversation together. What she was hearing sounded a lot like some sort of conspiracy. Now that she thought about it, she wasn't terribly surprised. How good people like Aerith, Yuffie, and Leon ever got mixed up with the Shadow Hearts Organization was beyond her.

"As I was saying," Aerith continued, lowering her voice even more, "It's time we told you who we're really working for."

Kairi gulped, "And... who's that?"

"The real Ansem – King Ansem."

………

………

………

**A/N:** I'm gonna say this again – **If you have read this story, please send in a review instead of just adding it to your Favorites list or Alerts list!** It's just courteous to do so, since it shows you really do acknowledge what I write. And besides, I like hearing feedback from my readers.

Anyhow, I bet some of you guys guessed the end of this chapter. It was pretty much a tie between King Ansem and King Mickey. I'm not saying anything for now though, since King Ansem's role is not the same as it is in the game. Just wait until the next chapter, guys!

As for Roxas and Namine – I've been getting some good comments about bringing them into the story. They're still a popular couple. So for you RoxasxNamine fans out there, you'll definitely see more of them together. And I'm sorry for yaoi fans... This story won't have any RoxasxAxel, but I will write more about their friendship as the story goes. I believe we're about halfway through now.

**P.S. Don't forget to answer the question below!**

………

………

………

**Question(s) of the Chapter:**

What is the number one thing on your wish list right now?

**My Answer:**

Ick, that's a hard one for me. I know I wanted the "Radical Dreamers Music Box" from Chrono Cross/Trigger – but I just got it recently. :) As for anything else... I'd love to get "Hitomi's Official Energist Pendant" from the series Escaflowne. It actually exists (I have photos to prove it), but I haven't been able to find it for the life of me. But they say, "What's yours will be yours, and what isn't will never be." So we'll see!

………

………

………

Thanks to my Chapter 22 reviewers – you guys are awesome!: ScattereD59DreamS , kitty-gurl1 , JuneBaby95 , CerberAsta , , Wint , whyme55577 , I'mCalledKitty , Hikoru Aniki , satan966 , and TheMagicalTapeworm .

………

………

………


	24. The Secret Labyrinth

………

………

………

Chapter 24

………

………

………

Author: Kintora

………

**A/N:** What's this? Another chapter up so soon after **Deja Blue**? I must really love you guys.

Let the reading commence. :)

………

………

………

The room was so dark at first that Namine wasn't quite sure if she had opened her eyes or not. But before she could get up, there was a soft groan beside her. She froze suddenly, before realizing it was Roxas. However, knowing he was snuggled up against her didn't help the tenseness in her muscles. All she could think about was his strong arm wrapped around her middle, clutching her protectively to him.

She swallowed, her mouth parched. But that wasn't all. If she could see herself in a mirror now, she knew her skin would be bright pink from the shoulders up. Part of her wished he would just wake up and let her go, so she could get her rapidly beating heart under control again. But the better part of her wished they could lie together like that forever.

If only she could just stay there with him... Let his breath warm the back of her neck as he breathed in her light floral scent. Forever in his arms.

Safe. Warm.

They were feelings she rarely felt, and never in the magnitude she felt now.

His breaths were still even against the back of her neck, so she felt it was safe to put her hand over his. She was growing sleepy again when she realized it could very well be morning and she wouldn't know. The sinking feeling she normally felt returned full force, making her squeeze his hand subconsciously. Her skin turned cold and clammy again at the thought of facing Vexen.

She lied when she told him that she had gotten used to the painful experiments. Perhaps she had hoped to allay his mind when he found out Kairi had endured the same treatment. Namine didn't want to hurt him – would never want to hurt him. He loved Kairi so much. She couldn't bear being the one to tell him.

And yet she was the same girl who told him that he shouldn't exist. She was the same girl who helped keep him in the dark. No matter what she did, she hurt him.

The guilt and helplessness threatened to overwhelm her, but it was the thought that Roxas only cared about her because of Kairi that made her tears slip down her face and into his pillow.

Unknown to her, Roxas hadn't been sleeping at all. He had woken up about the same time as her, but had been content with just laying still. If he hadn't been so good at controlling his reactions, he might have jumped when she put her hand over his. But something was wrong the instant he felt her hand tighten. She was so quiet, he hadn't been quite sure what was going on.

After a few moments of just focusing on her, he knew she was crying. His mind debated whether or not he should quit the sleeping act and ask what was wrong. What if she were in pain? Why else would she be crying?

Just then, she tried to slip away discreetly without waking him up. She almost screamed when Roxas' arm just tightened and pulled her back against him.

"Roxas?" she asked, her voice coming out a little shaky from surprise.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, his voice husky from sleep.

Namine shook her head, but realized he probably couldn't see her. "No, I'm fine. I was just... thinking about things."

He sensed her reluctance to talk about what was on her mind, so he decided to let her off the hook. "If you're sure." He let her go so she could sit up.

Namine swallowed again, "Yeah. I'm sure. What time is it? I should probably go."

Roxas wanted to groan, but he humored her, "It's probably around eight. You can check the clock on the wall."

"Umm..." She squinted through the darkness, "My eyes must be pretty bad."

The lights suddenly turned on and Namine had to blink a few times before her vision adjusted again. She rubbed her eyes in an effort to speed things up, but the instant she laid eyes on the clock, she almost thought her stomach would drop through the floor.

"Oh no!" Namine leapt to her feet, "It's already nine? I never sleep in!"

Roxas stretched before sitting up at a more leisure pace, "I thought you said Vexen doesn't get you until noon." He fought the grimace on his face as her ghastly bruises caught his eye.

"It's not Vexen I'm worried about right now. It's breakfast!"

"So?" Roxas fought down a yawn.

Namine felt exasperated, pacing the floor as she gnawed on her lip. There had to be a way down to the kitchen without any surveillance or anything. There had to be!

"Namine."

She suddenly felt his hands on her shoulders, stopping her from pacing a ditch into his floor. Somehow, Roxas had made it from his bed to her without her even noticing. The stealth he had was just unsettling, but not as unsettling as missing breakfast.

"Namine?" Roxas asked, "Why are you so worried about breakfast?"

"I'm so stupid!" Namine smacked her face. She was about to smack it again when Roxas caught her hand.

He growled, "Enough. I'll help you sneak downstairs already."

Keeping her hand in his, he tugged her over to the far side of his room. He pushed away the tall dresser before putting a hand against the seemingly blank wall. Namine gave a start when she saw the wall begin to split and crack into pieces. She almost jumped back, thinking the jagged marble would fall on their feet. But to her surprise, they just floated away from the wall, leaving a gapping opening that was just tall enough to let Roxas walk in without having to duck his head.

She was hesitant at first, but didn't dare stall as she hurried after him into the darkness. Just as she stepped in, the wall neatly sealed back up as if it never had a single crack. Namine looked behind her a few times, but the darkness made it impossible to see anything in any direction. If she stuck her hands out slightly, she could feel walls on both sides, closing them in. The further they walked, the more she realized that the passage was sloping downwards.

She couldn't hear Roxas ahead of her, for he moved like a wraith. For all she knew, he could be ten feet or ten inches in front of her and she wouldn't know either way. The silence was deafening, the air somewhat dead. It didn't feel creepy just... cramped and old.

"R-Roxas?"

"Right in front of you," he responded, a few feet ahead of her.

Namine breathed a sigh of relief, not really knowing she had been holding her breath. She hurried up to him, her hand reaching out in the darkness. When she felt the fabric of his shirt, her fingers quickly dug into it. Without much warning, he paused, letting her run into him. Her breath was coming in short little gasps as if she had been trying to outrun demons.

"Are you okay?" Roxas asked. He wanted to turn around and look at her, having no trouble seeing through the dark, but Namine was still pressed up against his back. Her head buried between his shoulder blades as she shook her head.

"Sorry," she struggled not to wheeze, "I should have told you that I don't handle small, dark spaces well."

Roxas stood still, just letting her lean against him. "Are you afraid of the dark?"

"No," she lied.

"Liar," Roxas said lightly. If Namine could see him, she could bet that he was amused. It annoyed her.

"It's doesn't matter," she pushed away from him, "Just never mind."

Roxas finally turned. "But I do mind. It's just strange that a nobody would be afraid of the darkness. We were all born in darkness, weren't we?"

"You're forgetting something," Namine said quietly, "I wasn't born from someone losing their heart to the darkness. I was born from the fragment of Kairi's heart. If anything, she's the complete opposite of darkness."

"So you're afraid of the dark because of Kairi," he deduced flatly, "Well that sounds perfectly logical."

"No!" Namine snapped defensively, feeling embarrassed, "It's because in the lab, Vexen sometimes stuffs me into–" Namine almost swallowed her tongue to stop herself.

Roxas struggled not to sound angry, "Into what?"

"Not now," she shivered, rubbing her goose flesh, "I don't want to think about it."

Without a word, Roxas grabbed her hand and led her further into the labyrinth. "Just stay close. The path starts branching off around here. You can get pretty lost if you don't know the way."

"Where _is_ here?" Namine asked, fighting the urge to latch herself to his whole arm.

"You'd be surprised how old this castle is," Roxas told her as he trekked on, "Before Xemnas took over this place, it was just a big ruin. It's believed that this place is very close to the entrance of Kingdom Hearts. That's why he changed its appearance and strengthened it into a fortress, so he could make this place into Organization XIII's Head Quarters."

"So there aren't any cameras here, and members don't normally wander around these tunnels?" Namine asked.

Roxas shrugged, "I doubt anyone would want to use these passageways. There are too many tunnels to bug. And there's no point navigating around here if everyone can just use portals."

"Then how do you know where to go?"

"Let's just say I don't mind exploring different options."

Namine smiled slightly, finding it completely believable. If he didn't like finding other solutions, then he wouldn't have argued so much with her about leaving her behind.

"We're almost there, Namine," he told her, "Once I open the wall, you're going to have to find your own way back to the kitchen on your own. We can't be caught together."

"Where does it open up?"

"Just down the hallway from the kitchen. I used to sneak down here sometimes on my own."

She blinked. "How come I never saw you?"

"I don't know," he said, "I don't come down here frequently anyway."

He stopped, putting a hand against the dead end in front of them. Unlike the entrance in his room, the wall didn't crack into pieces. Namine couldn't see anything anyway, but allowed Roxas to pull her in front of him. He gave her hand a squeeze before letting go and pushing her forward against the wall.

She was about to protest at first as she felt her body press against its cold, stony surface. But to her surprise, the solidity of the wall was only temporary. The next thing she knew, the stone turned pliant and seemed to absorb her.

"Rox–!" she began, but the wall swallowed her up just like that.

She stumbled forward, the lit hall blinding her for a moment. Blinking rapidly, she turned behind her to look at the marble wall. There was no trace of anything out of the ordinary with it. Confused, Namine looked around before walking back to it and touching its surface.

It just stayed as hard as any stone. Nothing pliable there.

She could have spent more time checking it out, but she knew she had to go. Suppressing a shudder, Namine hurried down the hall to the kitchen. Knowing she had to see Vexen soon, she made sure to skip breakfast. But it wasn't Vexen she was afraid of right now. Slipping through the silent kitchen, Namine hurried on to the next room connected to it.

…

Roxas would have turned away and gone back to his room if he hadn't been so curious about what Namine was hiding. He wanted to know why she was in such a big hurry. But he was also curious about what Vexen was doing to her. The welts on her skin spoke volumes about the pain she was constantly enduring, but they didn't reveal any purpose. Was it merely torture?

His stomach dropped just thinking about it.

After she went into the kitchen, he followed her through the walls. He couldn't use dark powers to conjure a portal or window to spy on her unless he wanted to be caught, so he was forced to do the traditional snooping around. Luckily, out of all the Organization's XIII members, he had the best stealth. Most of the others couldn't detect him nearly as fast he could detect them. And from what he knew about Vexen, the effeminate nobody wasn't any better.

Roxas never had any reason to defy the Organization, until now. Now that he knew Namine existed, that Kairi had been there all this time without him finding out... that Xemnas was only planning on using him – he had to find answers for himself if he ever wanted to be anything more than a puppet.

So he followed her through the walls, knowing she couldn't have gone far from the kitchen. But instead of just staying in the kitchen like he originally thought she would, she continued on into one of the castles many dining rooms. Knowing the labyrinth walls didn't go any farther, he decided to backtrack. Using the same exit in the wall that Namine used, Roxas stepped into the hall and snuck into the kitchen.

He looked cautiously about him before edging closer to the door that she had disappeared through. But before he could get close enough to pick up on any voices, Roxas whirled around and grabbed the person sneaking up behind him around the throat.

Axel sputtered, knocking Roxas' hand away, "Oi, Roxas! What's the big idea? You trying to kill your best friend?"

"Don't sneak up on me then," Roxas scowled, "I don't have time to waste talking right now."

"Wait," Axel narrowed his eyes at his friend, "Am I missing something here?"

Roxas took one look at the door he was about to go through before turning back to answer him. "It's nothing."

Axel felt his brows shot up towards his hairline, "Oh yeah? If it was nothing, you wouldn't be snooping around in the kitchen with your pajamas on. Even Marluxia wouldn't be caught dead down here in his flower boxers."

Roxas chose to ignore him as he grabbed himself an apple. Axel shrugged walking over to his friend, "Hey, I'm just messing with you. You look like something's been bothering you."

"Like what?" Roxas asked half-heartily, as he was about to leave the room.

"Like why Namine's in the dining room right now, talking to Vexen and Xemnas."

Roxas froze, and turned around, "What?"

"I was right, wasn't I?" Axel said. He swung an arm around Roxas' shoulders, and pulled him forcefully from the kitchen, "I ain't supposed to tell you anything, but I suppose I've already broken that rule now. But trust me, you're not going to like what you hear."

Before long, Roxas and Axel were back in Roxas' room.

"First, I want to hear what possessed you to follow Namine around today. What if someone else caught you?" Axel rolled his eyes, "And don't tell me it's because you're falling for her."

"Shut up, it's nothing like that," Roxas grumbled sitting down on his bed as Axel leaned back against a wall.

"All right," Axel decided not to push him, "Then tell me what else you want to know."

"How did you know that Namine was meeting up with Vexen and Xemnas this morning?"

"That's easy," he snorted, "I do rank high in the food chain, you know? Before Kairi was taken away by the Shadows, Vexen spent a lot of time working on shock memory tests. It was a painful method, but showed a lot of promise. Vexen was able to extract some of Kairi's memories, but it didn't do much good in finding the other Princesses of Heart."

Roxas tried to ignore the feeling of his gut twisting around inside of him, "Then where does Namine come in to all of this?"

"She was an experiment gone wrong," Axel said matter-of-factly, "She was created not long after you were actually. So this dates back a while ago. Rather than trying to find the other Princesses, Xemnas tried using Kairi, the only known Princess at the time, to artificially create six duplicates of her. Namine was the only copy that survived. But even then, she wasn't a perfect clone, and therefore, she wasn't what Xemnas wanted."

"And you don't find this disturbing?" Roxas asked pointedly, anger flashing in his icy eyes.

"I do, but it's not like I could do anything. I didn't know her then, much less care about what was going on," Axel admitted, "Completing missions was the only thing that meant anything to me. I'm sure you can understand that much."

Roxas rubbed his temples, "This is giving me a headache."

"You asked for it, so listen up," Axel tapped his chin, "So after the cloning experiment failed, Vexen just kept her as something of a keepsake – like a doll. He worked meticulously on Kairi, and eventually came up with the shock memory theory. But just as we were assembling all the other Princesses together, Shadow Hearts interfered and stole Kairi."

"I just remember Xemnas sending us on a bunch of missions to find her. I always thought..." Roxas bowed his head, "I'm such a gullible idiot. I believed in every word he spoke and did anything he ever asked."

"Well don't go beating yourself up just yet," Axel said, a wicked grin spreading across his face, "As you probably know, our boss is P-I-S-S-E-D right now. At the moment, we have neither Kairi nor the other Princesses. Xemnas' plans won't come to fruition any time soon, which means, you still have time to make your great escape."

Roxas shook his head, "You're forgetting Namine. We're taking her with us too."

The grin on Axel's face faded a bit, "I was hoping you'd come to your senses and forget about her already. I can't be sure we'll be safe after we leave, and bringing Namine will just give them more of an incentive to chase us. Besides, the longer we wait..."

"I already promised her."

"What? Since when?" Axel exclaimed, doing a double take.

"Since last night," Roxas rolled his eyes, "It doesn't matter. I just want to know why she's so afraid of talking about Vexen's experiments. She hates talking about herself."

"Do you know what shock memory is, Roxy-boy?"

Roxas scowled at the name.

"Of course Namine wouldn't tell you. It's not pleasant. I don't know much, but I know it has a lot to do with wires, needles, and lots of electricity. You can put together the rest. You've seen her burns," Axel crossed his arms, "The stress and pain is somehow able to conjure memories from the subconscious. It's more of a truth experiment than anything else."

Roxas felt as if Axel just took a bucket of ice water and threw it over him.

Axel nodded, his expression turning more sympathetic. "That's right, buddy. Namine may do her best to hide her memories, but time's running out. Sooner or later, Vexen's going to find out about you and me. Then we'll be toast, because he'll just go tell Xemnas. So why don't you listen to me, and cut out the knight-in-shining armor crap."

"I told you, I already promised her," Roxas said quietly, "What will happen to Namine when they do find out?"

"I don't think I have to tell you," Axel said, his expression somber, "There's nothing we can do for her. She's meeting with Xemnas and Vexen right now, because Xemnas is checking up on Vexen's little project today."

"What for?" Roxas asked, his stomach turning.

"They're upping the ante. What else?"

………

"Who's King Ansem?" Kairi asked, frowning.

"He's the King of Hollow Bastion," Aerith told her before Yuffie could answer, "We all came from there. But before that, we all came from other worlds. He's the one that rescued us from the war that tore our home worlds apart when we were children."

Yuffie chipped in, "King Ansem just wants the worlds to be at peace again."

"I hate to sound rude…" Kairi began, "But why would the 'real' Ansem want to restore balance to the worlds? What does any of this have to do with him?"

"Everything," Leon answered shortly.

Aerith shook her head sadly, "King Ansem believes it is his fault that the war is happening in the first place. You see, the Ansem of Shadow Hearts and Xemnas of Organization XIII used to work together – because they were once the same person, a man named Xehanort."

"Xehanort?" Kairi asked dubiously.

"Xehanort was once the beloved Crown Prince of Hollow Bastion," Yuffie offered helpfully.

Kairi put her head in her hands, and looked up between her fingers, "I'm so confused right now. Where are you guys going with this?"

"A long time ago, Xehanort and his father, King Ansem, worked to expand Hollow Bastion. That's when they stumbled upon the Legend of Kingdom Hearts," Aerith sighed, "It was believed that Kingdom Hearts granted enormous power for anyone who could find it and enter it. Perhaps even grant the power to absorb other worlds. But…"

"But?" Kairi pressed.

"King Ansem came to his senses and decided that it was too dangerous to pursue. But Xehanort wouldn't listen and took things into his own hands. He conducted an experiment that accidentally tore his heart and soul apart. That's how he became two different beings. Originally, they worked together to find Kingdom Hearts, but the darkness is a strong force," Aerith said gravely.

Yuffie continued for her, "That's when the two of them went separate ways and declared themselves independent of the other. Darkness took over from there, and now it's seeping its way into everything. King Ansem felt completely responsible, so he's assembled small factions like ours to work together and take down the evil he started – even if that means he has to destroy what's left of his only son."

Kairi thought her head was going to explode, but was able to absorb all of the new information. But at least she knew her friends were fighting on the side she thought was right – the side that she knew would stop the senseless suffering.

"I want to join you guys," Kairi looked up, her violet eyes lit up with determination, "I want this war to stop too."

Aerith and Yuffie sighed in relief, but Leon only straightened and walked over to the side of her bed. He towered over her for moment before he sat down beside her, "While having you join us is good, we need to ask you something."

"What's that?" Kairi asked, growing uneasy by the intense look in his steely gray eyes.

"You can't tell Sora the truth, because he's bound too deeply to the darkness. You know he would have to stop us," Leon responded evenly, "So could you fight against him if the situation called for it?"

Kairi felt as if someone had punched her in the gut. She suddenly felt torn between "yes" and "no." By the way Leon was looking at her; she knew there was no "maybe yes" or "maybe no." Aerith and Yuffie looked her with barely suppressed hope in their eyes. Even Kairi knew how much weight her decision would carry once she made it.

Why?

Why did it have to be this way?

Memories of the night before, when it was just she and Sora – confessing to each other in the dark… comforting each other in their sorrows… and sharing something so completely pure and wonderful…

Why her?

Why him?

"Ye… Yes," Kairi croaked, "I'll help."

Leon nodded, his eyes softening slightly, "I'm sorry, Kairi."

Kairi could only nod dumbly, trying not to imagine the betrayal in Sora's sky blue eyes.

………

"ROXAS!" Axel yelled after his friend, "Wait man, are you nuts? You can't just go barging in like that!" He narrowly avoided the wall as it seal up behind him. "ROXAS!"

Roxas pulled his hood over his head, marching briskly down the dank corridors of the hidden labyrinth. He wished he could drown out Axel's panicked voice. A part of him knew he was acting rashly, but for the most part, he didn't give a flying fig. He could only remember the feeling of Namine trembling in his arms. Just thinking about her made a huge surge of protectiveness flood through him.

He never felt that way for anybody… for anything. Not even for Kairi – not to this extent.

Namine wasn't a ghost of a memory he chased. She was there with him. She'd always been there by his side. And now that she was so achingly close, he found it so hard to protect her.

He wanted to protect someone.

He wanted to protect her.

He wasn't sure why, but he wasn't about to deny the fact that he cared what happened to Namine.

"Wait!" Axel caught up to him and grabbed his arm.

Roxas shook Axel's grip off him roughly as he whirled around, "If I don't help her, who will?!" He grabbed the front of the redhead's coat and growled, "Namine doesn't deserve to disappear!"

Axel grabbed Roxas around the collar too and snarled back in his face, "You don't deserve to disappear either!"

They fumed at each other, before Roxas shoved Axel away and continued his trek down the passageway. He heard his friend follow him in stride. While neither spoke for a while, Roxas found himself worrying more and more about the time that had elapsed between the present and the last time he saw Namine. He had no doubt Vexen would get right to business when it came to working in his lab.

It just meant that time was running out.

"Roxas," Axel finally stopped, urging him to stop as well. There was something about the way Axel said his name that made him stay put.

"What?" Roxas snapped, itching to press on.

"Do you think Namine would want you to ruin everything she's done to protect you?"

Roxas grit his teeth and looked away. He knew that Namine would be angry. But that wasn't going to stop him from saving her if he could. He was about to continue on when Axel stopped him again.

"Listen, buddy. I want to make this very clear for you," he took a deep breath and let it out, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Vexen's lab is one of the most secured places in this compound. It won't be easy getting in and out even if you're one of the best nobodies in this snooping around business. I say we scout out the lab today, and then come up with a plan about what to do later."

"So you're suggesting we do nothing," Roxas replied hotly.

"I can't believe I'm the one who has to tell you to wait and think things through. You're supposed to be the sensible one. Not me," Axel rolled his green eyes, "I'm just saying we look before we leap. If we work together, we can figure out a fool-proof plan to rescue both our sorry asses and Namine's cute behind. It won't be easy for you, but it's the only way."

Roxas was silent for a second before he rammed his fist into the rock wall. Pieces of eroded rock splintered under his knuckles as he pulled his hand away. The pain helped him take his mind off Namine for a moment to weigh his options.

"Namine's a strong girl, Roxas," Axel told him, "She wouldn't have survived this long if she wasn't strong. Give her a little credit, will you?"

"Fine," Roxas muttered. He pressed a hand to his eyes, "So how do you suppose we go about this?"

Axel's cocky smirk returned, "Watch and learn, Roxy-boy."

………

………

………

**A/N:** I don't know why, but this chapter feels pretty long. Anyhow, I really liked typing up the Roxas/Namine moment in the beginning. Their relationship is progressing a little faster than Sora's and Kairi's, but I hope it's still at a decent pace. It's not like they're making out just yet, though that will be the goal in one of the upcoming chapters.

For those who are waiting for more Sora/Kairi, give me some time please. I don't want this story to go all over the place between Sora/Kairi and Roxas/Namine.

All right guys, hit me up with 'em reviews. :) Your words mean a lot to me!

**PS.** DON'T FORGET TO ANSWER THE QUESTION OF THE CHAPTER BELOW! It's sort of like my way of getting to know you guys.

………

………

………

**Question(s) of the Chapter:**

What is your favorite movie?

**My Answer:**

Right now, I'm obsessed with **Firehouse Dog**. And no, I'm not kidding. It's a great movie, in case you guys haven't seen it yet.

………

………

………

Muchos gracias to my Chapter 23 reviewers: mUSIC4LiFE95 , CerberAsta , xPocKyxx , A Midsummer Night's Dream , Meep Forever , Hikoru Aniki , Swanna , Topaz Tsubasa , kitty-gurl1 , Zlegna120 , RoxasxLoverxDarius , Sora195 , Wint , kairitheseventhprincessofheart , KHGamegirl , LyricGirl16 , True-Light-San , elSarah , AonAllstars , divinerosekeeper , whyme55577 , XxkissyfishyxX , Nears Twin , NightmarishlyAesthetic , DRAGONFIRE563 , rikku247 , and Si-Sidera.

………

………

………


End file.
